We have to relocate

[WasntSupposedToBeLikeThis]

unfortunately we are in a position where we have to relocate because DH has lost his job and we can’t afford the mortgage. He’s not having any luck in getting another job partly because of his age. He’s almost 63.
We can’t afford to stay where we are so looking to relocate to a 3 bed with nice views but also in or very close to a nice town. Train station within half a mile preferably as we have two adult sons. Budget around £400k. Any ideas of where we could go to meet this criteria. No family ties so can go anywhere.

Wales. Swansea or Porthcawl - they are both by the sea. Porthcawl has a train in Bridgend which is slightly further than desired but not too far.

Norfolk

I second Norfolk. You could look at Aylsham if you fancy being near the coast or Wymondham which has a train station with easy access to Norwich and is on the All, both market towns with lots of housing options for under 400K.

Where are you currently?

Lots of places in the South West would meet your brief and be affordable. It depends if you want rural or coastal and how close you want to be to a city.

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/90340956#/media?activePlan=1&id=media1&ref=photoCollage&channel=RES_BUY

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/90251040#/?channel=RES_BUY

Can’t you just buy a cheaper property in your local area?
Are your adult sons working? Would they have to give up their jobs if you were to relocate to somewhere where they couldn’t commute or do they wfh? And what about their friends in the area?

Have you thought what type of home/amenities you want?
I'm in my 40s but became disabled and suddenly nolonger being able to drive, get up and down stairs easily (had a victorian 4 storey) , paying a fortune in taxi fees for hospital appointments, not being easily able to access.
I'm just waiting for youngest to finish school so we can move to more suitable accommodation but what I'll be looking for is one level (or at least so I can live on one level), decent public transport, accessible local amenities, easy maintenance (not a big garden), and within a short taxi ride to the hospital/gp (good as possible nhs care).
Maybe around leeds, Manchester, Sheffield, Barnsley/Wakefield borders, Penistone if you want a market town.

Peterborough, near london, has a train station, good transport links if you find yourself unable to drive later on in life.
Or go North. 400k would get you a very decent amount of house & land, £220k on a house and use the rest to retire?

I live in Abergavenny, which is a lovely town, on the edge of the Brecon Beacons, so beautiful views everywhere.
Train station, with direct trains up to Manchester, 30 mins to Cardiff (great to watch sport and music), just over 2 hours on train to London. You would get somewhere nice within your budget.

@welshweasel yoire making me want to move to Abergavenny!

Shropshire has some beautiful views and is very affordable, you would get a lot for 400k, lots of little train stations in and around Shrewsbury.

e.g. rural detached https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/87598983

Are you also in your 60s? Would it make sense to look for a bungalow/low maintenance type of home or do you expect to move again before either of you need a more accessible home?

Will you be working?

Where are your sons based? It’s helpful to be near a train station but obviously whether the travel is doable will depend more on train routes from where they live than on how long a journey it is from the train station to your home!

Do you like coast? Countryside? Access to a big city?

Can you give some more information on what you will be needing? Will your sons be living with you? If so do they have jobs that can move anywhere, or are they disabled? If not then do you really need 3 bedrooms? Would you like town, country or coastal locations? Is this a move for now or forever? A forever home would need to consider not being able to drive at some point and access to medical facilities in a way that a 10 year move wouldn't.

One is at university. Finishing next year so he can go anywhere. The other one is in an industry where he can work anywhere. I am not in my 60s so would have another 15 years of work.

Where do you live currently? Can you downsize close to where you are?

Is he claiming benefits?
Have you asked about a mortgage holiday?

He can’t claim benefits because he has his own company and still has a couple of clients but that’s not bringing in anywhere enough money.
we can’t downsize where we are as we are in an expensive part of London

How about west scotland? Somewhere in north or south lanarkshire? Plenty of amenities and good walks

Honiton in Devon. No need to spend your full budget. Train access to london direct (or indirect via Exeter). Close to city of Exeter and good NHS facilities. Close to seaside at Sidmouth (or just pick Sidmouth - but no rail).

South wales, just north of Cardiff. You’d get a lot of value for money with your budget and you are 2 hours to Paddington from Cardiff by train. Cardiff is a wonderful, vibrant city but it’s all quite semi rural within a 15 minute drive

Draw a circle on a map within your travel distance from London (or where you think is livable). Plot the facilities you want/would like/what would make your life easier. Look within that area including on the inside of the edge. Then draw a circle around where you would really love to live (in your dreams). Also then plot the facilities that you think you would like/advance your life ambitions. See if the two are realistic. Then make your decision.

Do you have no family or friends that you would like to live closer to? So you’ll be looking for a whole new community wherever you move? In that case it might help to think about how you’d meet new people - do you have any hobbies/interests - especially ones that DH could get involved with if he’s basically not working much?

Another one suggesting South Wales.

Llantwit Major has its own station, is a reasonable size place, on the coast, and has plenty of suitable property.
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/find.html?searchLocation=Llantwit+Major%2C+South+Glamorgan%2C+Vale+Of+Glamorgan%2C+The&useLocationIdentifier=true&locationIdentifier=REGION%5E843&maxPrice=400000&minBedrooms=3&radius=0.0&_includeSSTC=on

What about you and your job? Can you easily relocate anywhere?

How about Harrogate?

Lots of London relocators.

Great train links.

Access to Leeds hospitals.

Vibrant cultural life.