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Original poster

Winchester, any mumsnetters want to give me any ideas where is the nicest place to live in or around winchester

229 replies

unconvinced · 13/05/2008 14:31

Just need a few clues as where to start looking, DH is keen on the area as it has good links to London but not to far from the sea.

Any comments would be greatly appreciated

TIA

OP posts:
CountessDracula · 13/05/2008 16:26

right by station and has an extra room downstairs that could be study

CountessDracula · 13/05/2008 16:27

needs work but has good extension potential and huge garden could be good long term option

CountessDracula · 13/05/2008 16:29

abbots barton one - has study

CountessDracula · 13/05/2008 16:30

central still close to station. has extra attic room

CountessDracula · 13/05/2008 16:35

oh sorry

Am morphing into Kirstie as I type

Egg · 13/05/2008 16:36

Hyde houses are a bit bloody pricey. We are renting a 4-bed but one bed is teeny (just big enough for my toddler but only just) and one bed is the loft which has no central heating and is BOILING in summer. It is not in perfect condition but other houses on street which are in better condition are about £500k plus (although market is slipping at mo). Abbotts Barton is more affordable and not that much further from station, but an extra 10 mins makes a big difference to a commute.

Egg · 13/05/2008 16:37

CD you are being very helpful . I LOVE spending time on primelocation.com. Nothing much on market in Hyde these days. They send me updates and nothing is being put up for sale round here. If there is a house it is MINE MINE MINE .

FluffyMummy123 · 13/05/2008 16:38

Message withdrawn

CountessDracula · 13/05/2008 16:40

Not heard today
same as yesterday but a bit bigger I would hazard a guess..

aDad · 13/05/2008 17:17

The problem with lots of central Winchester houses like the ones in Hyde and Fulflood is often they have already converted the loft to make the 3rd bedroom, so finding that extra room for a study isn't easy.

They do come up for sale but just not as often as a straight 3 bed in that price bracket...

mamado · 13/05/2008 17:58

Unconvinced are you me? Other than the ages of your dcs, nearly all your criteria fit mine!! We are moving to Winchester in July...hope you don't pounce on the house we want when it comes up (you too egg!)

Egg · 13/05/2008 20:23

I have the upper hand as I can dash down the road and bag the best house before you lot can even get a look in [smug].

Original poster
unconvinced · 14/05/2008 14:05

Guys, thanks for all your help, you have given me some ideas for areas.

Good luck mamado for July, are you buying out right or renting first like egg?

Egg why are you renting? did you have an insider knowledge of the property crash?

OP posts:
mamado · 14/05/2008 14:11

thanks unconvinced! We'll be renting at first (if we can find something!) just so the whole move thing goes as smoothly as possible!

When will you be moving?

So egg, when you say 'everyone is just like us', do you think we'll fit it? Moving from SW London with two under fives. We've been worried we'll be very lonely! [scared emotion]

Egg · 14/05/2008 14:28

Mamado you will fit in fabulously! Where in SW London are you? We moved from Putney. Everyone is very friendly. When we moved last summer I met so many other mums (and dads) within the first few weeks just by going to the swings.

We are renting because we had to move quickly as I found out I was having twins towards end of June and needed to have an address here to get booked into the local hospital etc so did not want to faff around with having to sell. We are renting out our house in Putney (and getting marginally more for a small 2-bed there than we are paying for our 4-bed here). Would like to hold on to London property as an investment but not sure we can afford to.

Also we thought it would be easier to buy once we are living here, as getting to know the area better and would have been hard trying to drive down with DS1 every time we wanted to view a house. We were very lucky to find this place tho as was a bit cheaper due to needing new carpets and curtains etc, and then they put in new ones anyway just before we moved in.

Let me know when you move (both of you) and you can come and see me and I can give you a guided tour of town!

TartanKnickers · 14/05/2008 14:33

Ropley is nice.

mamado · 14/05/2008 16:02

thats great news egg! At the moment we're in Clapham, and we'll really miss it, but I think life in a smaller town will be better for kids, besides my mum and inlaws both live in the area too.

A meet up in the summer would be great...not looking forward to being friendless when we arrive!

Is Hyde as great as everyone says? It sounds an ideal area to look at!?

Egg · 14/05/2008 16:10

I am determined we will stay in Hyde. Have met so many lovely people, and they come up and introduce themselves to you when they see you are new (never happened in Putney). DH has less than 10 mins walk to station too which is ideal. We are right next door to North Walls Recreation Ground and 2 mins walk from leisure centre. Have a section of the river that we can see from the window too.

Town centre is nice too as lots is pedestrianised which is good when you have a runaway toddler.

eekamoose · 14/05/2008 16:14

The train journey is already an hour so if you live in a village outside then you have to factor in a lot more commuting time.

If you look on a map and find Stockers Avenue, that's a gorgeous little pocket. Near the golf course and Teg Down. About 15 mins walk to the station. The area near Peter Symonds College is very nice too.

Original poster
unconvinced · 14/05/2008 17:00

I have (today!) accepted an offer on our house, and I am sooooo stressed

I don't know exactly when we will be heading to Winchester but like egg and mamado we will propably rent before buying so that we can check out the best location for us.

Maybe we will all be able to meet up, mamado how old are your children?

OP posts:
PrincessPeaHead · 14/05/2008 17:15

I was in winchester today for the first time in decades

Such a nice town. Cathedral is fantastic. And College is looking as good as it ever has (trees in blossom, sun shining, thwack of leather on willow etc etc etc...) sigh...

Egg · 14/05/2008 17:39

Tis stunning on a sunny day .

Congrats unconvinced on offer on your house.

Will ask DH when he gets home the cost of his ticket. It was £4k I think but have to make sure.

mamado · 14/05/2008 17:42

it would be great to have some recent local and child friendly info from you egg. I actually grew up just outside Winchester and so can give you some insight into the surrounding area (also, used to know quite a bit about places that were good for underage drinking - not so useful now - me thinks!)

Unconvinced, my dds are nearly 4 and a half and 18 months, so hoping the move will be early enough not to be too traumatic.

I was also wandering about the cost of commuting should I have to return to work...eeek

Egg · 14/05/2008 17:47

We moved when my DS1 was 18 months and it was entirely untraumatic for him. He loved it and never batted an eyelid, even on the first night. Might be harder for your older DS tho.

Ask away, am happy to provide as much info as I know, but might not know EVERYTHING f course .

Egg · 14/05/2008 17:49

I texted DH (who is on the lovely train as we speak) and it is indeed £4k per annum (he gets Waterloo and City line too so includes that, not sure if that adds anything to the price).

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