Where in England or Wales in budget?

[ThisIsWhyWe]

Before I begin we love Scotland though it's a drive too far if the kids settle in the South.

DH and I are moving, we have £500k and can be mortgage free. Any updating or renovations would need to come out of that money.

Both late 40s, many years to retirement. DCs left home, we have no parents.

He grew up in small Midlands town, me on a farm in the South West.

We are looking for a village or small town with community and preferably some diversity e.g. not a middle class enclave (we live in a middle class enclave now, with a big mortgage).

Ideally we would like views.
Must have 4 beds or more so DCs can stay. We'd prefer not to take on a big project.
DH wants detached, would consider semi detached or end terrace.
It must have parking.

As long as it meets those criteria we can go anywhere.

The east has a lot less rain than the west.

Avoid heavy clay soil. Visit possible locations in wet weather.

Abergavenny area? I know that Grosmont about 11 miles from Abergavenny towards Hereford has a good village community, not much in the village amenities wise, one pub, one church, one castle and a 4 bed semi detached house for sale at £445,000.

A few in South Wales to have a look at

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/134696627#/?channel=RES_BUY

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/142141613#/?channel=RES_BUY

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/140913377#/?channel=RES_BUY

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/139574060#/?channel=RES_BUY

Monmouthshire/Wye Valley!

We know that we love Wales, particularly South Wales as that is where we have spent the most time. Love Abergavenny, Merthyr, Brecon, also Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire.

Wrt Gloucestershire I only know the bigger places like Cheltenham, Gloucester, Stroud and Yate. I'll take a look.

We like Shrewsbury too, the place itself is bigger than we want to settle. DH knows a little of the surrounding area and likes it.
Same with Hereford and Herefordshire.

Like Monmouthshire and Wye Valley.

The Welsh houses, I like 1,2 and 3. Two is too small, despite great views.
From agents particulars alone I like 1 best.

The place itself (town, village), the people who make the place that are more important to us than the area of the country.
We don't choose to live in cities or larger settlements, though I like them.
If, like us, you like the rural UK (and Ireland), then I can't think of anywhere that isn't beautiful.
We are very fortunate.

It is a shame that Scotland is out.

We have spent the past 15 years working and driving DCs around.
If possible we would like to have hobbies of our own and, if possible, make friends.

For SW Shropshire and the Marches, my impressions are:

Church Stretton - On the Cardiff-Manchester main line and A49, so better access than below. Small town with good range of independent shops, cafes etc.
Bishops Castle - Small market town. Nice small range of independent shops. A number of pubs. Theatre, jazz club, leisure centre, active arts scene. Annual carnival.
Montgomery - Small market town. Nice small range of independent shops. Good restaurant (The Checkers) which is aiming for a Michelin star again (under new management). Great traditional ironmonger (Bunners).
Clun - Smaller, but supports 2 pubs, 2 grocery shops, a couple of cafes, an ironmonger. Good artistic vibe (has 'Clun open studios' day with c. 20 open studios), music (pubs have live music / folk nights, town is home to folk artists). Carnival, annual Green Man Festival, etc.

Ludlow - Much larger. Centre of town very pretty. Not as foodie as its historic reputation (e.g. no longer has a Michelin-starred restaurant) but does still have its food festivals. Good range of restaurants and shops (although a number have closed recently) - but not exempt from similar struggles to other high streets, just with more independent shops.

While some of the more rural locations here may struggle for high speed internet, most of the small towns above do have it. There are a number of line of sight Wi-Fi providers in the more rural areas, and where they don't get to, StarLink is a good solution.

i would also look at Wales.
South - North Carmarthenshire - Myddfai, Gwynfe, Trap and all the other villages surrounding Llandeilo. On the edge of the Black Mountain (confusingly) a range of mountains but not the same as the Black mountains! Up near Llandovery, there is Llanwdra, Talley, Ffarmers and then a few miles up Cilycwm and Rhandirmyn are stunning. This is the Western Edge of the Brecon Beacons. Brecon also lovely but I don’t know the surrounding area so well.

West Wales - Lampeter and surrounding areas. Or the Ceredigion/ North Pembs coast - Tresaith, Penybryn, Aberaeron etc. Cardigan also lovely. Further inland and North of Lampeter is Tregaron.

Further North - Machynlleth and surronds. Alternative hippy community traditionally, not sure if that has lessened. Stunningly beautiful.

My knowledge of North Wales isn’t so good.

Malvern.

Great community, you'll get a great house for your budget. It's very arty, independent vibe.

There are plenty of houses in budget around Penrith and Kendal in the Lakes

Does the house need to be accessible for your dc to visit? Where are they likely to live? Do they drive or will they want to come by train? I wouldn’t want to move somewhere really difficult for my adult kids to get to. If it’s an area that they don’t have any ties to then I’m not sure how keen they will be to spend time in eg, a tiny village in the Forest of Dean.

Thank you for all of your comments, please keep the suggestions coming.
Have been looking at all sorts of places on Rightmove.

DCs do drive @NewYearNewYak they don't know where they will end up. They have careers they could take anywhere. We have spoken with them about the move, they think it's a good idea and they will visit wherever we are. We plan to visit them too.

The 20 mph speed limit in Wales might drive you crackers

I’ve Pm’d you as we have a 4 bed detached house for sale in an elevated position with sea views. It does need modernisation but priced to reflect that. It’s in South Wales, nice large village type location minutes from a town and 20 minutes from Swansea and Gower.

My PILs live in Spalding. They really like it. We visited recently. It seems friendly. There’s plenty of independent shops and cafes.
From a practical POV it’s not far to Peterborough which has a big hospital and good train links.

Didn't post sooner, has been busy.

We are still looking at areas, all of those suggested are popular with us.

If you have any more ideas for areas, please shout.

I like Oswestry for somewhere smaller than Shrewsbury, and more reasonably priced houses. I think you'd like it. Can be in town or one of the rural villages.

I was just about to come on and mention the Quantocks. We live up in the hills between Taunton and Bridgwater and it’s great. Also easy to get to M5 and to London and pretty much anywhere from Penzance to Aberdeen from Taunton. Taunton is a nice county town and Bridgwater is still scruffy but up and coming because of Hinkley investment. Proximate also to arty Somerset but far enough to not regularly bump into ex-Tory cabinet ministers and 90s rock stars.

North Somerset coast. Your budget is unlikely to get you sea views but rolling countryside is definitely possible. 4 bed detached Houses on my development go for around £600k but about a mile away they are older and are around £450k. lots of people have relocated here, quite a lot of artists too. Good social opportunities

Thank you, we don't need arty. I said isn't Hebden Bridge arty?

Although I like the Somerset coast and it holds good memories for me I don't think I would live there, it isn't so far from where I grew up and would feel like a retrograde step.

Oswestry is a very good tip. I'll take a look, we are putting the finishing touches to put our house on the market in March-ish.

We are away now as it happens, scoping out an area out of season that we think we will like.

We will look at any areas suggested.