House search Scotland, South Coast or Cambridgeshire 170 - 250k

[WaitingforSpring24]

Help! I’m a single parent with a disabled son, and don’t drive. I’m recently divorced and moving out. I have 170k but could get a mortgage up to 250k. I work part-time from home and my son is going to be home schooled as I can’t find a decent special school for him.

And we also have a dog so need a garden.

I have family and friends near the South coast, Cambridgeshire and Scotland so any of these areas. Part of me thinks it would be nice to be rural and pretty - but only if it’s near a train or bus as I don’t drive. I live rurally now and it’s fine if you are near a main town or even tourist place as there are good links.

Cambridgeshire and the South coast are so pricey - I could afford a place but often it’s very far out and not the nicest area. Because of my disabled son I really want an area which is low crime and some sense of community.

Cambridgeshire is basically commuter belt for either Cambridge itself, or London, which is why it is expensive unless you are in the middle of nowhere with no public transport. South coast just is expensive full stop. Which leaves Scotland.

You won't get Cambridgeshire or south coast for less the 350/400 I would have thought.

Where in Scotland - it has roughly the same land mass as England

Scotland seems to have most potential for meeting your needs based on property prices, but it does rather depend in where about in Scotland... can you narrow it down a little?

How about Nairn? Good transport links and lovely seaside, but it may be too far from wherever your family and friends are. https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/148024592#/media?channel=RES_BUY&id=media18&ref=photoCollage

Cambridgeshire is tricky with those requirements.

You'd need north Cambridgeshire for house price reasons but the public transport isn't great.

There's this in Streatham (village outside Ely on the bus route from Ely to Cambridge.)

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/148337336

Do you need easy access to a hospital? That would rule out a lot of Scotland....

@WaitingforSpring24 What about Lincolnshire? Plenty of 2- and 3-bedroomed houses for £170k

Dumfries?
You’d get something in budget there, and it has a train station, a bus station and a hospital.

Have a look at Penicuik near Edinburgh. It's a small town in its own right but easy bus journey to Edinburgh.

You could afford a 2-3 bed with a garden there. Remember Scotland is offers-over so look at properties on the market for below 230k to stay within your budget.

Maybe look for a school that would suit your DS and move there? Also, this would be the time to think about learning to drive - it would make life as a single parent easier.

Scotland is a whole country, where exactly do you mean?

What about Melrose?🙂

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/150643946?utm_campaign=property-details&utm_content=buying&utm_medium=sharing&utm_source=copytoclipboard#/&channel=RES_BUY