Small house 150,000 budget - where to look?

[Winterjoy]

Recommendations please for areas where 150,000 is a realistic budget for a small house (pref 2 bed). Need to stay in England for work but otherwise open to anywhere (although would prefer south out of familiarity!).

Only stipulation is not too built up (some green space, e.g. nature reserve, within short driving distance at a minimum but preferably walkable) and somewhere relatively safe as I'll be living in/moving around the area alone.

I've done a nationwide search on rightmove and filtered by price but I've no idea where to start with narrowing down areas for the shortlist!

Like the one on Lowestoft

Spalding? You can get trains to Peterborough from there which has good links to the rest of the country.

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/147684782#/?channel=RES_BUY

I'd second Darlington.
Lots of stock of lovely cheap houses.
On a major train line - you'd be in London in (2.5?) hours, with trains all the time. The centre isn't amazing, but I've seen much worse.

In which case I would look at Darlington and Durham. I travel from Darlington to Kings Cross frequently and it is a 3hour direct journey. Your budget will restrict you but there are some areas where you could get a reasonable small house for 150k

Property in Darlington is within your budget for sure. I have a family member who has lived there for decades. Train service is as good as it gets in the UK, East Coast Mainline. Up to Newcastle very easily or further to Edinburgh down to London and everywhere else.
Darlington has its struggles, the North East has been in long term economic decline for decades, however I'm always impressed by what exists in Darlington not the decline. Life is what you make of it and my relative is always out and about and speaks very highly of both the local hospital and the regional one in Middlesbrough and the one in Newcastle.
And whenever I visit there seems to be abundant fresh air! The parks in Darlington impressed me as well, and the town is right next to the Yorkshire Moors and relatively near the coast.
I'm more of a swimming pool and cafe person myself and Darlo has those.
On the other hand I have always thought how lovely Berwick-upon-Tweed is. And there is property there in your budget, I just checked. Those bridges! That harbour, I can't imagine it's swarmed in the summer, but hopefully a Berwick mumsnetter can tell us.

How rough actually is Darlington? There’s some lovely period properties for sale (not in OP’s price bracket, I’m just wondering), it seems to be about 2/5ths of the price of York tbh.

Just as well connected, seems to have nice green spaces and the facilities you need.

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/153883850#/?channel=RES_BUY

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/157550072#/?channel=RES_BUY

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/156884336#/?channel=RES_BUY

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/158418638#/?channel=RES_BUY

I personally wouldn’t want to live in Darlington. I looked a bit further around. Sadgberg is between Darlo and Stockton, so you have good access to Teesside Park (big out of town shopping place).
Guisborough is a busy market town, that house has a big garden.

Eaglescliffe is very close to Yarm which is a very sought after place to live with a lovely high street. Also there are direct trains to London from Eaglescliffe and you are close to Preston Park which is a huge park alongside the river.

You'd get decent 2 or 3 bed for that in South Yorkshire.

@KingTutting that last one isa really nice home for the money - street looks lovely too

The one in Eaglescliffe is a great location. Can jump on the train at Allen's West to get onto the mainline.

I’d look at Bolton and Liverpool.

Wow that is a gorgeous property 😍

Thank you for all the links and suggestions - I'm taking notes and feeling so much more hopeful that this is doable and I will be able to get settled in a place of my own!

@Winterjoy you will get somewhere ok lovely- it might just be in places never before on your radar !!

I’m pleased you’re feeling positive OP, that’s really good.

Thanks to your OP I’ve looked at some of the properties I could buy outright in the ‘west end’ of Darlington. I might have drive for a look myself.

I could be mortgage free in Darlington on something that would cost me a huge amount more nearer York. As long as I could catch the train 2-3 days a week it could work.

Carlisle?

Highly rated by Turdtowns.

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/158561225#/?channel=RES_BUY

I live in Darlington but I'm not from here. It's not too bad but some of it is pretty rough. Same as most towns in the north. If you already have a job that is secure it might be a good choice. There are some lovely properties in the west end of town. But they are £££££.
Being on the mainline is great and London is only 2hrs 20 and Edinburgh doesn't take long.
The hospital has a pretty dreadful rep locally but James Cook in Middlesbrough is decent. There are no NHS dentists, but I don't suppose that is different to the rest of the country.
The town centre isn't too bad, still got a few independent cafes and shops.
If you need a primary school I'd be looking very carefully at where you buy.

Peterborough? Something like this?

Thank you for the first hand view. I'm from an area that is objectively a bit rough with a run down town centre so not expecting a paradise but would like to be able to e.g. walk around the area without seeing open/blatant crime, drug use etc.

Schools aren't a consideration so thankfully that is one less restriction on location.

Lots of places in Lancashire
Lancaster, suburbs of Preston, Chorley (outskirts better than the middle, surrounding villages v nice)
I don’t love Morecambe but it may get better with the Eden project which is imminent
In Cumbria you’d get a nice house in Penrith or Kendal, much less busy than the honeypot national park villages and great transport links as they’re on the main line railway

Any of the villages in DN20, although check if they ate able to get high speed fibre if yiu need to be connected for work, it's getting better but some areas still don't have coverage

Yes thank you that is one thing I hadn't thought of, will for sure need good broadband

Northumberland coastal

Devon?

Second this
Access to the guild wheel, Rivington, drive out to Dean mills or Marles wood for water/swimming, Brockholes nature reserve

House

10 mins to nature reserve , a mile from lovely quiet beach and can access main railway due to recently reopened train line a couple of miles away