Why do you live where you live?

[BluPeony]

Just that really.

Did you move for work?

Did you move for uni and decided to stay?

Were you born and raised and never left there?

We live where we live because of work. Looking at possibly relocating and it feels so overwhelming as we don't really have family links anywhere other than prohibitively expensive London and even then we don't really see them very often.

That's so lovely - my mum said exactly the same when she visited Bury-St-Edmunds. She never got to live there, but it was always a kind of affectionate 'dream' place for her. I'm glad it gives you joy.

It's about 30 mins from where DH spent his teen years. Schools are good, it's commutable to London for work.

Easy commute to London for DH job bought us here. It was quite close to my parents as well.
Nice leafy suburb, feels safe and clean, good schools and lovely friends/great social life keeps us here until youngest makes their own way. We will then move to New Forest/South Downs/Surrey Hills sort of way for our last ten years of working life.

Grew up here. Moved away at 18, lived in a few different cities over the years, including London for 12 years. Moved back up here just before dc 2 was born. Family close by, feels safer & a nice place to bring up kids, it’s by the sea, could actually afford to buy a decent house here, cleaner air, lots of easy access to countryside, quieter & a slower pace of life.

Moved for DHs work, the exact location factored in that although I was then able to wfh I had to travel back to the office where I'd been before quite regularly so we chose somewhere fairly near a motorway junction rather than a long way from one.
Although my work travel stopped this was still a good decision for days out and holidays.

Now I'm on the verge of retiring, we're vaguely thinking we could move elsewhere. It'd be nice to be somewhere we could walk to shops, pubs, theatre etc....But there's pros and cons everywhere, it's expensive and a hassle. So I doubt we will unless/until DD is settled somewhere, if we then decide we'd like to be closer and the area would suit us.

Oh my God, that sounds idyllic! My perfect life.

Please give me a clue where you live!

Somerset - between Taunton and Minehead

Moved for uni but didn't plant to stay. Got a dream job and stayed after uni but plan was to move elsewhere after a few years. Met DH who's from here and the rest is history.

Thanks. You’ve sold it to me!

Did you move for work? Nope!

Did you move for uni and decided to stay? No!

Were you born and raised and never left there? No!

We were wanting to leave the UK, we had originally been looking at either Canada or Denmark. My husband is Swedish, when we met one of his grandmas had passed away and left her house to him. He used to airbnb it and we would holiday in Sweden maybe 3-4 times a year as it was only the cost of flights and food. I suggested it as an option, so we started spending every school holiday there as a bit of a test, we could both work remotely so it worked with annual leave. It was also an easy option immigration wise as we only needed a visa for me, which was easy to get.

I moved back to my hometown to escape DV and be near my parents. I'm so happy I did. It's infinitely better here, even though growing up I said I'd never return.

Oh, Quantoxhead is beautiful. I have a connection to the former girls' school-now wedding venue St Audrie's Park, wonderful memories of getting lost while orienteering!

I moved to where I live now 20 years ago for love! We were in Barcelona, similar to some pp who left London , it was too expensive to raise DC on our wages. We're in a town of about 130,000, 5 mins walk from the beach, café culture, great local produce, love the festivals, near mountains with vineyards and great hiking routes. DC are trilingual (Eng-Span-Catalan), schools are small and lovely, it's a 5 minute walk to secondary school. No uniform 💪

We're near DH's family, I'm abroad from mine, luckily parents still in great health.

Obviously there are drawbacks- this fucking heat being one of them! We might move when DC grow up and leave home, but don't know to where. Probably stay in Spain but somewhere cooler - Cantabria or Asturias, possibly.

Work and house prices. NI is a pretty small place so nowhere is much more than 1.5 hours away. Bought a lovely semi bungalow 25 years ago just outside Belfast. Have never been more than a 20 min commute from work. Good schools etc. so have never needed to move and are ever likely to.

@elQuintoConyo - Quantoxhead is indeed beautiful, as are Kilve, Watchet, Porlock and Lynmouth and Lynton

Born in one part of the UK, but moved to this general area as a small child. Grew up in and around the same town, then moved away to a town about 10 miles away. We then moved abroad, but it didn't work out, so we're back in my 'home' town. I'd not want to leave permanently, all our families on both sides are local, friends etc. We have a lovely life here, good area, good schools.

Shame it's south coast so it's so expensive!

Born here. I’ve lived in the same village all my life. Never wanted to live anywhere else.
We have moved house lots of times, DH jokes we’ll run out of roads to move to soon.

It's where we grew up. We chose and live in our immediate area as it has brilliant local facilities, character and on the edge of countryside with good views. We've often thought about moving for a change of scenery, in that case we'd be looking at somewhere near(ish) the sea or a river, but would have to give up more than we'd gain - and where we are will continue to be good for old age.

Always wanted to live in London. Went to uni here and never left. It’s surpassed my expectations and I can’t imagine ever moving.

Affordability.

I am sorry your Mum never got to live here but is is lovely she felt the same way. We only moved here 2 years ago but so far it gives me a smile every day.