Relocation, Relocation, Relocation

[Feelingthepressure37]

Dear All,

My DP would like to relocate to the other end of the country and I'm looking for some impartial advice.

My OH has many valid points of view for making the move.
We would be surround by his family who would be of great support for our young family.
We would be able to afford a much bigger family home, possibly without selling our properties in the SE.
It is likely we would be mortgage free, or very near it.
We would have the option of working less allowing more time as a family or working just as much and saving for a very stable future. Keeping our properties in SE would of course give a substantial rental income.
If staying in our current professions, our salaries would likely only be slightly affected.
As we would be near family, there would be no or only limited child care costs.

We have two children under 3 and the last couple years have been hard, not just on me but on our relationship. It's been difficult without family around, without a proper support network. Money has been tight, one income, OH does long hours at work and we have little disposable income due to very high childcare costs, it has taken its toll. We have out grown our home but are not in a position to move due to property prices in SE.

Although we dont have much family in the SE, I worry about leaving my Mum. We aren't hugely close but she loves the children and has no one else.

I love my job and have worked hard to get to where I am in my career, will I be able to get a job in my chosen profession in as good a working environment?

Would the benefits of a relaxed lifestyle, DP's family, and new prospects outweigh leaving my friends, leaving my Mum and leaving a job that I love?

Am I being selfish not entertaining the idea? I worry what is best for my children however I worry what is best for me and my feelings. Would I fit in to the new life? Moving from the SE England to North Scotland is quite a change, would it be right for me?

I really feel I need the opinions of impartial outsiders in this matter and would be grateful for anything you can offer, especially from those that have already done such a move.

How rural are you planning on going? I grew up in very rural England and moved to rural Scotland for a job but I wasn’t in the north of Scotland. I found the lack of shops and services really hard. If I drove for an hour from my parental home in England I was in a small regional city where I could get everything I’d ever needed. I had to drive much further for much less in Scotland also everything cost more. Could you rent a holiday cottage at this time of year for a few weeks to try it?
I moved back for various reasons to the very rural area of England I grew up in.

We moved from SE to close to the Scottish borders 10 years ago. As we felt it would be a big move ( and in the lucky position of mortgage paid off) we rented up here and left our house down south to give us the option of returning if needs be. Yes there are always swings and roundabouts for moving or staying, but sometimes life is about stepping out of your comfort zone and taking an opportunity on living in a different way.

We wouldn't be looking to go too rural, but compared the where we are now anywhere would be "rural".
Likely to be a small village/town with a few shops and services and definitely no more than an hour from a city.

Would your mum considering moving with you? Maybe not living with you but close. My sister stays north of scotland and very rurally, they have a great community spirit, small excellent local school and high school only 15 mins drive away. They have ponies, nearly every weekend have something to go to.