Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Property/DIY

Join our Property forum for renovation, DIY, and house selling advice.

Original poster

How remote is too remote?

26 replies

HouseHunting · 05/10/2009 15:19

Have seen a house on rightmove that appears (from the ariel map) to be on its own but within a 5-10 minute walk from the village centre. I am a bit of a scaredy cat & am wondering if it will be too remote for me. I know it is not out in the sticks, but is on the edge of a village. I know none of you know me personally (I think ) but from the description of the location would this be too remote for any wimps like me? Thanks

OP posts:
MrsBadger · 05/10/2009 15:22

is the road lit? is there a pavement? is it (eg) at the end of a populated street or all by itself in a field?

anywhere where you have to carry a torch to get home from the pub is too remote for me...

AvengingGerbil · 05/10/2009 15:23

Remote is three miles from the neighbours.

If you think the edge of a village is remote, it is too remote for you. In fact, the whole village is probably too remote. Find a town.

Original poster
HouseHunting · 05/10/2009 15:26

I don't know if the road is lit but the house is on the main road into the village.

I had to chuckle at "If you think the edge of a village is remote, it is too remote for you. In fact, the whole village is probably too remote. Find a town." I am a town girl at heart but DH would love to live in the sticks, so I am trying to find a happy medium.

OP posts:
bigstripeytiger · 05/10/2009 15:28

I think that if you think it is too remote than in probably is, IYSWIM.
Im a bit wimpy and easily spooked by that kind of thing too, and from the way you have described it I think it might be a bit spooky.

LIZS · 05/10/2009 15:30

I live on the edge of a village on main road but have neighbours, reassuring if dh is out for the evening or away. How far to walk into the village centre ?

Carrotfly · 05/10/2009 15:33

Sometimes these arial shots are way out of date.

I know the one where I live is, my house is 6 years old and its not on the image !

You need to look at it inRL before automatically dismissing it.

Original poster
HouseHunting · 05/10/2009 15:36

Will have a drive past this week sometime - I have driven on the road before but wasn't paying attention as wasn't house hunting. Ta

OP posts:
ABetaDad · 05/10/2009 15:39

That does not sound remote at all.

However, if the house were on an unlit road with no pavement and 10 minutes walk from a a small village with no shop or other amenities and no bus, rubbish broadband and say 30 minutes from a town that would feel remote after 6 months.

I used to live in a place like that as a child and it was not a good place for kids growing up as teenagers.

GrendelsMum · 05/10/2009 18:00

BetaDad has it spot on. I agree with every word he says.

It makes a big difference to be on a road with a pavement, with streetlights, where you can walk to a village that has some amenities, and where the DCs can get on a bus / cycle safely to a friend's house. On a country road, the pavement makes the difference between being able to walk somewhere and not being able to walk. Cycle paths are even better, as you can go further quicker. Streetlights are actually less important, as you can see surprisingly well with no lights especially if you know the route, but I think from your OP you wouldn't be happy with that. A bus, even once an hour, makes a tremendous difference too. It really does give visitors an option without you having to drive them everywhere all the time.

However, if you don't have any neighbours, who will keep an eye on your house / feed your cat / water your tomatoes when you're away? Will you meet anyone in your new village? Does this matter to you?

BudaBones · 05/10/2009 18:09

We are looking at the moment too and although DH would be happy with remote, I have decided I want neighbours within walking distance. And a shop and a pub. So now we are looking on the outskirts of a town!

I would find no near neighbours too remote.

Original poster
HouseHunting · 05/10/2009 18:30

this is the house it looks hard to see if there is a pavement as the house is at a slope to the road. Wish there was a floorplan as I am wondering if it is a bit higgledy piggledy inside...

OP posts:
BudaBones · 05/10/2009 18:31

Can't get the link to work

Original poster
HouseHunting · 05/10/2009 18:32

that should read angle not slope!

Thanks for all of your comments - food for thought. I couoldn;t do too remote but think the house is closer to the village than I thought. There are quite a number of shops in the village, it even has an estate agents!

OP posts:
mumblechum · 05/10/2009 18:51

That isn't remote. We need to use a torch tho' we're right in the middle of the village as we all voted not to have street lights. We don't have pavements either.

5 mins walk from a village is just right imo, no noisy dogs barking, noisy kids screeching etc.

Next time we move we want to be at least a quarter of a mile from the nearest neighbours each way just so we don't have to listen to them.

GhostWriter · 05/10/2009 18:54

We live about a ten minute walk from a village, up an unmade road, obv no streetlights, can only see fields in every direction, no mains water, no sewerage.

It's brilliant.

rebl · 05/10/2009 19:29

That looks lovely and I don't think its too remote. That is about as "remote" as our new house is going to be and the village we're moving too is smaller. But this village has 2 primary schools and 1 secondary school which leads me to believe there must be a pub and village shop etc.

The house is beautiful btw.

Original poster
HouseHunting · 05/10/2009 21:36

Ok trying again house

OP posts:
Original poster
HouseHunting · 05/10/2009 21:39

Oh, just seen you could see it rebl. Wonder why BudaBones couldn't. I will have to have a drive by when DS is better (currentkly nursing a 39.5 temp) to see what I think about the location. Is near great schools too, which is good
Thanks all

OP posts:
rebl · 05/10/2009 21:42

HH I couldn't see the link but found the problem, the link isn't quite right at the beginning and I just needed to delete a bit. Hope that your ds is better soon. Its a horrible time of year for bugs and house hunting .

Original poster
HouseHunting · 05/10/2009 21:52

Thanks rebl - hope your Vendors give you a date soon for exchange/completion

OP posts:
GrendelsMum · 05/10/2009 21:59

It's on a main road just at the 30 mile an hour limit, isn't it? You're going to get an awful lot of speeding cars going past your house at 40mph or more. I speak as One Who Knows.

BudaBones · 06/10/2009 07:48

I figured out the problem with the link too.

I would agree with GrendelsMum - the right on the main road issue would put me off. I would consider that carefully and drive by it at various times of day.

MrsBadger · 06/10/2009 09:23

looking at how close the A10 runs, will traffic noise not be an issue?

GrendelsMum · 06/10/2009 10:08

The problem with trying to work out traffic noise before you buy is that peak traffic hours are very dependent on the local area - so we get a lot of noise at 8.15am and 3.45pm every school day as all the school buses thunder by, a remarkable amount of noise on a Saturday morning (people taking kids to sports events at the school?) but Sunday is dead quiet. There's a surprising amount of lorries go down our road - I have absolutely no idea where they think they're going to, as a few small villages can't need that amount of lorries. In fact, one day I should leap in my car and follow them.

gorionine · 06/10/2009 10:16

It is a hard one. For me, even though I do not drive shops would not need to be close as I would not mind walking quite a bit to them or take a bus but I would need to have next door neigbours for my sanity!

Oh, just seen your link, it does look like you have got neighbours! I agree with other posters that the road/noise is the only problem left for you to actually check Budabones advice is sensible.

The house looks great!