Property in Dorset

[Blinkinintothesun]

My in-laws are moving to the UK from abroad and looking for a two bedroom property in Dorset. Preferably with a small garden. I'm in Scotland and don't have a clue how much property costs in that part of England apart from what I can work out from property websites- but there seems to be a huge span in price between areas. Any Dorset dwellers able to give a rough figure for this type of property in a village/town which would be nice for a retired couple? Long shot I know!

Stay away from the coast - but be on a bus route to it.
Be in a town big enough that they can walk to the shops and a cafe.
Be on the train line if you can (buses are shite)
Look at 70's houses - ugly but well built

Then it comes down to their budget and preference

They need to avoid the villages. My friend who was a carer has lots of stories to tell about elderly people who have become completely isolated in villages. No buses, no doctor, if there is a shop to start with you can't rely on it hanging around. Then when there are floods (frequent), snow or high winds, nobody can get to them.

The market towns are the way forward. Dorchester, Sherborne, Wimborne, Bridport come to mind, although of course house prices are higher then in the villages.

They could get something for 350k in Sherborne.

Hard agree
Bridport is good and comparatively flat and has access to the coast
Shaftesbury is gorgeous but hilly
Dorchester - county town
Weymouth is an option but rammed with tourists
Wimborne has good links
Blandford is a dark horse - better since the army moved out in bulk

There’s a lot of different areas of Dorset! Do they want rural or coast? Village or town? What’s their lifestyle and budget?

They would like a village near the coast but I think a town on a train / bus route would be better. They had a look around the Weymouth area recently and said they would not get anything for less than £500k which I am hoping isn't totally accurate. It's incredibly useful to have a few suggestions of towns I can research from here so thank you very much. Their lifestyle is rural and isolated now but they feel that might need to change for this next phase of their life. Thank you

@Blinkinintothesun
I have lots of friends who have had to give up driving due to age and infirmity.
Your PiLs need to relocate on the basis of NOT driving.

Yes I think they're beginning to see that now. The towns on a bus route / train line seem like best options. It's really useful to have a few to research from this thread. Blandford etc

We lived in Bournemouth - moved away long time ago and glad we did - it's gone really downhill.

I think Bridport would probably be the best option if they want to be near the coast. Plenty of central 2 beds for 350ish.

That's a great tip I'd not looked there

Bridport is nicer than Weymouth but more remote

Are we assuming they want a detached house?

Their budget is about £350k so I don't think they can afford to be too picky about detach but ideally yes

What is the pull to Dorset? Are they trying to be close to family or is there a particular lifestyle they are after? Do they have any particular interests or hobbies that would influence them?

Personally I would like to be near the coast or on a bus route to the coast. Personally I would like to be near Highcliffe, Mudeford or Bournemouth sea front. Just not Bournemouth itself. Weymouth is good too.

That's all good places for us to look at too then. It's to be near some family members

Wareham is lovely. Small but has amenities and on both the train line and the bus route to the cosst

Wareham is nice.

A lot of Highcliffe and Mudeford/Christchurch are going to be out of budget.

Weymouth: https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/153476225#/?channel=RES_BUY

Lymington area: https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/154766807#/?channel=RES_BUY

Highcliffe: https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/154436936#/?channel=RES_BUY

Bridport:
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/151946852#/?channel=RES_BUY

The market here is v slow so definitely they could look at making offers on properties over £350k

Blandford has nothing really in it. A Tesco on the outskirts one way which is only a medium size one and a Lidl on the opposite side of town.

Bus service to Poole or Salisbury is hourly at best and no train station.

High street hasn't got much in it apart fro Charity shops and chemist's.

Lots of new builds spread all around from the town centre, most you have to walk up a hill to.