Is 50,000 sterling a ok salary in outer London area?
Oct 25th 2016 | 8:24 pm
#16
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Re: Is 50,000 sterling a ok salary in outer London area?
Hello, and thank you for responding.
I'm sure living near London is going to be a bit more challenging considering the difference in population size. But if I'm fortunate enough to find the right location and hopefully a great property it all could be worth the extra travel time to various places, and other inconveniences associated with urban living. Plus, living near London in winter could make navigating colder weather a little easier what with built-in conveniences of living near a large city.
No doubt Manchester is a proper city but how would you say it stacks up to London in terms of excitement and nightlife? Do you sometime wish you were back living in Manchester? I have not closed my mind to various options but living near London does seem like a very good fit.
The price you mentioned for your home is similar to my target budget. After selling my property here in the States the goal is to buy a home in the UK for around 550,000 sterling, and then pocket the rest. I want to stay in my comfort zone. Plus I do not wish to pay out too much in property tax. The goal is to wind down and transition to retirement. Living with in my means is very important and doable. More play less work is now my mindset.
I look forward to the seasonable weather of the UK and to get away from this hot clammy weather in the States.
I'm sure living near London is going to be a bit more challenging considering the difference in population size. But if I'm fortunate enough to find the right location and hopefully a great property it all could be worth the extra travel time to various places, and other inconveniences associated with urban living. Plus, living near London in winter could make navigating colder weather a little easier what with built-in conveniences of living near a large city.
No doubt Manchester is a proper city but how would you say it stacks up to London in terms of excitement and nightlife? Do you sometime wish you were back living in Manchester? I have not closed my mind to various options but living near London does seem like a very good fit.
The price you mentioned for your home is similar to my target budget. After selling my property here in the States the goal is to buy a home in the UK for around 550,000 sterling, and then pocket the rest. I want to stay in my comfort zone. Plus I do not wish to pay out too much in property tax. The goal is to wind down and transition to retirement. Living with in my means is very important and doable. More play less work is now my mindset.
I look forward to the seasonable weather of the UK and to get away from this hot clammy weather in the States.
I'm sure living in London is exciting but do people who live outside London really do so much more than people living in smaller cities? Unless you have to be close to work have family there, I wouldn't see the advantage of living outside London personally but of course we're all different. Even living in the most exciting street of London will probably get boring if you see it every day. You could buy a great house for half the amount and use the rest to actually enjoy life and nowhere in the UK is really far from an airport or London.
You could be living in Cardiff and would still be only 3 hours away from London, so 225K will buy you plenty of trips to London
Oct 25th 2016 | 10:27 pm
#17
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 18,799
From: Not in Paris
Re: Is 50,000 sterling a ok salary in outer London area?
Hemel Hempstead and St Albans are both 20-30 minutes by train to London so that would fulfil your requirements and both have services that run to St Pancras/Euston so easy access to the Eurostar for continental jaunts. Both are perfectly pleasant towns.
Another factor to consider is Crossrail. I would seriously be looking at somewhere like Maidenhead which would give you a quick and direct public transport link to both central London and Heathrow from 2019.
Another factor to consider is Crossrail. I would seriously be looking at somewhere like Maidenhead which would give you a quick and direct public transport link to both central London and Heathrow from 2019.
Oct 26th 2016 | 12:05 am
#18
Was in Canada, now home.
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 3,388
From: Devon
Re: Is 50,000 sterling a ok salary in outer London area?
Personally, I would not choose to retire to Manchester, Hemel Hempstead or St Albans. Manchester is too far from London, and does not have the cultural amenities of London, while Hemel Hempstead and St Albans are basically commuter towns. As well as East Sussex, I'd look at West Sussex and Kent.
Chichester in West Sussex would be a good choice.
Both Canterbury and Tunbridge Wells in Kent are also worthy of consideration.
Chichester in West Sussex would be a good choice.
Both Canterbury and Tunbridge Wells in Kent are also worthy of consideration.
Oct 26th 2016 | 12:41 am
#19
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Re: Is 50,000 sterling a ok salary in outer London area?
Personally, I would not choose to retire to Manchester, Hemel Hempstead or St Albans. Manchester is too far from London, and does not have the cultural amenities of London, while Hemel Hempstead and St Albans are basically commuter towns. As well as East Sussex, I'd look at West Sussex and Kent.
Chichester in West Sussex would be a good choice.
Both Canterbury and Tunbridge Wells in Kent are also worthy of consideration.
Chichester in West Sussex would be a good choice.
Both Canterbury and Tunbridge Wells in Kent are also worthy of consideration.
Just interested, because if the OP could save 200K on housing, that will buy you train tickets and entry fees for the rest of your life and it's only 2 hours + from London to Manchester?
Canterbury is a nice town but still over an hour from London. Other bigger towns in Kent seem rundown these days, or let's say aren't that cultural.
Oct 26th 2016 | 3:15 am
#20
Was in Canada, now home.
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 3,388
From: Devon
Re: Is 50,000 sterling a ok salary in outer London area?
From what the OP has said about his capital and income, he doesn't have to save money by living in the north-west. He can afford a reasonably sized bungalow or apartment almost anywhere in the Home Counties, and since he wants to be within reach of London, that makes sense to me.
Culture wise, it depends on what he is interested in.
For classical music Manchester has the Hallé Orchestra and the Bridgwater Hall, but it does not have an opera company. That hardly compares with London's two world class opera companies and seven symphony orchestras.
For jazz, Manchester's Hole in the Wall is famous, but not as famous as Ronnie Scott's in Soho, and the number of venues for popular music generally must far outnumber Manchester's.
Museums, restaurants, etc etc ditto.
Culture wise, it depends on what he is interested in.
For classical music Manchester has the Hallé Orchestra and the Bridgwater Hall, but it does not have an opera company. That hardly compares with London's two world class opera companies and seven symphony orchestras.
For jazz, Manchester's Hole in the Wall is famous, but not as famous as Ronnie Scott's in Soho, and the number of venues for popular music generally must far outnumber Manchester's.
Museums, restaurants, etc etc ditto.
Oct 26th 2016 | 3:26 am
#21
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Re: Is 50,000 sterling a ok salary in outer London area?
From what the OP has said about his capital and income, he doesn't have to save money by living in the north-west. He can afford a reasonably sized bungalow or apartment almost anywhere in the Home Counties, and since he wants to be within reach of London, that makes sense to me.
Culture wise, it depends on what he is interested in.
For classical music Manchester has the Hallé Orchestra and the Bridgwater Hall, but it does not have an opera company. That hardly compares with London's two world class opera companies and seven symphony orchestras.
For jazz, Manchester's Hole in the Wall is famous, but not as famous as Ronnie Scott's in Soho, and the number of venues for popular music generally must far outnumber Manchester's.
Museums, restaurants, etc etc ditto.
Culture wise, it depends on what he is interested in.
For classical music Manchester has the Hallé Orchestra and the Bridgwater Hall, but it does not have an opera company. That hardly compares with London's two world class opera companies and seven symphony orchestras.
For jazz, Manchester's Hole in the Wall is famous, but not as famous as Ronnie Scott's in Soho, and the number of venues for popular music generally must far outnumber Manchester's.
Museums, restaurants, etc etc ditto.
Oct 26th 2016 | 3:45 am
#22
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From: Portlandia Metro
Re: Is 50,000 sterling a ok salary in outer London area?
Bushey or Watford might be a better option. You get the convenience of LRT but is slightly more affordable. Hemel is not a pleasant place to live, and is not really 20-30 minutes into London unless you include the train. In which case Milton Keynes is only 35 minutes away and has 4D movie theaters, sky diving, small GA airport, major concert venue,the devil's Horsemen and thetraffic system works well. Also you can get a plane direct to Birmingham or a coach to Luton for those cheap flights.
Other options are places like Pinner or Beaconsfield which are older towns with character.
Other options are places like Pinner or Beaconsfield which are older towns with character.
Last edited by mrken30; Oct 26th 2016 at 3:49 am.
Oct 26th 2016 | 4:34 am
#23
Was in Canada, now home.
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 3,388
From: Devon
Re: Is 50,000 sterling a ok salary in outer London area?
I've never met anybody who lived in Milton Keynes who wasn't desperate to get out of it.
Oct 26th 2016 | 4:42 am
#24
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From: Portlandia Metro
Re: Is 50,000 sterling a ok salary in outer London area?
It's very close to one of the best private schools in the country. Michael Jackson apparently sent his kid there.
It has a reputation, but as far as big cities go, it's not a bad place to live. Just doesn't have the traffic problems and the culture that older cities have.
If you have never seen the Devil's Horsemen, I strongly recommend the show.
Oct 26th 2016 | 5:10 am
#25
Was in Canada, now home.
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 3,388
From: Devon
Re: Is 50,000 sterling a ok salary in outer London area?
Do you mean Stowe? The relevance of private schools to someone who is retiring is not obvious to me.
Oct 26th 2016 | 5:12 am
#26
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From: Portlandia Metro
Re: Is 50,000 sterling a ok salary in outer London area?
True but there are a lot of activities at Woburn Abbey, and Stowe put on some good classical stuff. I was just saying it's not all bad. However I think the OP wants city life where a car is not required.
Oct 26th 2016 | 12:22 pm
#27
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Re: Is 50,000 sterling a ok salary in outer London area?
I'm sure living in London is exciting but do people who live outside London really do so much more than people living in smaller cities? Unless you have to be close to work have family there, I wouldn't see the advantage of living outside London personally but of course we're all different. Even living in the most exciting street of London will probably get boring if you see it every day. You could buy a great house for half the amount and use the rest to actually enjoy life and nowhere in the UK is really far from an airport or London.
You could be living in Cardiff and would still be only 3 hours away from London, so 225K will buy you plenty of trips to London
You could be living in Cardiff and would still be only 3 hours away from London, so 225K will buy you plenty of trips to London
Oct 26th 2016 | 12:55 pm
#28
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Re: Is 50,000 sterling a ok salary in outer London area?
Thank you one and all for the great feedback. My bank account is not limitless so budget concerns are extremely important. But the retirements years are meant to be pleasant and peaceful and one's environment plays a big role in a person's state of mind and personal health. I don't need to be in a huge space like you might see in America. But I would like a few amenities. Mainly a garage for a car. That is my biggest sticking point. No budging on that one. If need be I'll actually increase my budget to accomplish that goal. I'm sure there is a great location that is fun to call home out there for me. My main goal is to make this transition from working to retirement as seamless as possible. To have hobbies which make me feel vital and excited about life if I'm fortunate enough to grow old. And to enjoy a saucy dating life that would make a grown adult blush!
Oct 26th 2016 | 3:12 pm
#29
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From: Portlandia Metro
Re: Is 50,000 sterling a ok salary in outer London area?
Thank you. I agree its tempting to move further out and save money on property investment. And let me add that I'm no stranger to enjoying a quieter life away from the bustle of a fast pace environment. I have not made a decision yet and I certainly do appreciate a quiet home to come to when I want to filter out all the noise. I'm thinking there has to be something like that near London. But I do plan to consider other locations. Comparing options is the only way to make an informed decision. I would like my new place to be in an area with parks to walk pets, hopefully nice shops, and a place excellent for walking. Fingers crossed! Either way it will be great to be back to a place with four seasons.
Oct 26th 2016 | 4:28 pm
#30
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Re: Is 50,000 sterling a ok salary in outer London area?
That's the other thing I forgot about Milton Keynes, it has canal towpaths to walk down and a completely separate cycle/walking infrastructure called the redways. You can walk/cycle the whole 10 miles of the city without having to cross a road. I haven't seen any other city where this can be accomplished. Also great village pubs and history.
