Best relocation areas in the UK?
Jul 10th 2019, 2:59 pm
#676
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Re: Best relocation areas in the UK?
I have to say Didsbury is not my cup of tea, never was and nprobably never will be yet my brother loves it so each to their own, I think it's such a good idea to research online etc but but therere is nothing like putting feet on the ground and having a good look around
Jul 10th 2019, 3:17 pm
#677
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Joined: Jun 2015
Location: France
Posts: 865
Re: Best relocation areas in the UK?
If you want people to “critique” specific properties, I can recommend the house buying section of Martin Lewis’s Money Saving Expert forum.
Better put on your flak jacket, though. They can be pretty forthright.
I seem to remember there’s one thread entitled “Take a look at this”.
Better put on your flak jacket, though. They can be pretty forthright.
I seem to remember there’s one thread entitled “Take a look at this”.
Jul 10th 2019, 3:35 pm
#678
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 88,023
Re: Best relocation areas in the UK?
I have to say Didsbury is not my cup of tea, never was and nprobably never will be yet my brother loves it so each to their own, I think it's such a good idea to research online etc but but therere is nothing like putting feet on the ground and having a good look around
Jul 10th 2019, 9:41 pm
#679
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Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,830
Re: Best relocation areas in the UK?
I have to say Didsbury is not my cup of tea, never was and nprobably never will be yet my brother loves it so each to their own, I think it's such a good idea to research online etc but but therere is nothing like putting feet on the ground and having a good look around
The online search gives the buyer and expat the opportunity to add context to a consideration, and the ability to form a strategy to build a plan. When you have an idea of what works best or might not suit a individual, the online search can save time, money and allow me to focus my attention on eliminating wasteful time going to places that don't offer the attributes in my search. And when you're new to a country as I and my kids will be, smart logistical research is wise. Then once on the ground we can confirm if house A is in a area that works better than property B,C or D based on the tranquil appeal of that suburbs or some other factor. But with the online search I can find out if a certain area has the better late night amenities that will keep the Mrs and I happy and better than option property B.
Technology has changed job, home and life choices in a very meaningful way.
Jul 10th 2019, 10:25 pm
#680
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Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 38,620
Re: Best relocation areas in the UK?
Originally Posted by PistolPete
Here in Dorset, I find practically nobody, as a returning expat, who is anywhere near like-minded and that has been really tough and painful.
What is on UKWinds5353's wish list? Stonking big place for space I think . In the countryside? Close enough to London?
I haven't read it all so don't know & I am just interested.
Jul 11th 2019, 5:43 am
#681
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Posts: 865
Re: Best relocation areas in the UK?
I would have thought living in a community where there are plenty of like-minded people would be high on the list of considerations when choosing where to settle. I seem to remember Pistolpete did loads of research, though, so presumably there were other, overriding factors - without wanting to trawl through all his old posts, I think there was a son who was into sailing or marine engineering or something like that.
I’ve only ever lived in one place where I really felt like a fish out of water. It was very lonely. If I found myself in that situation again, I would definitely be looking at moving.
Jul 11th 2019, 1:20 pm
#682
Joined: Aug 2003
Location: East Seaxe
Posts: 72,573
Re: Best relocation areas in the UK?
Indeed, as Jerseygirl has indicated, everything will always be about Location Location Location, and that is entirely subjective or subject to budget constraints.
The thread is best relocation areas and we are way beyond that.
Many years back there was a thread entitled Location Location Location which became of similar magnitude and did at least try to cover detail of the areas in the UK for potential return to but as I have learned over the five years of my return, it is only due to the things that work specifically for me personally that this area of Dorset works on balance, over other alternatives. Others might call this area a dump but there are pockets of resistance. As for houses and actual homes to live in, well that is only part of it, quite obviously. Here in Dorset, I find practically nobody, as a returning expat, who is anywhere near like-minded and that has been really tough and painful. I've seen this (like-minded issue) said of Dorset in the MSM in relocation articles directed at retirees. In fact I feel like an expat in this part of the UK as much as I did when I left the UK in the 70s and landed in expat-world. Admittedly, 50% of the population at large has been severely alienated by what we are going through at present but that is only part of a bigger issue, in my view.
One thing is for sure. The view on life of those from London and much of the Home Counties is very very different to that out in the provinces, quite aside from the North South divide. That said, the West Country has been 'infiltrated' by down-shifters and flight from urban life in London and the Birmingham area in particular so that the West Country accent is now in the clear minority in these parts. The London area accent pervades.
This all makes it important to check out prospective 'hoods' before you move in permanently if you want in any way to feel part of a 'community' that you feel comfortable in, beyond having a common interest in dogs or the weather of the day.
The thread is best relocation areas and we are way beyond that.
Many years back there was a thread entitled Location Location Location which became of similar magnitude and did at least try to cover detail of the areas in the UK for potential return to but as I have learned over the five years of my return, it is only due to the things that work specifically for me personally that this area of Dorset works on balance, over other alternatives. Others might call this area a dump but there are pockets of resistance. As for houses and actual homes to live in, well that is only part of it, quite obviously. Here in Dorset, I find practically nobody, as a returning expat, who is anywhere near like-minded and that has been really tough and painful. I've seen this (like-minded issue) said of Dorset in the MSM in relocation articles directed at retirees. In fact I feel like an expat in this part of the UK as much as I did when I left the UK in the 70s and landed in expat-world. Admittedly, 50% of the population at large has been severely alienated by what we are going through at present but that is only part of a bigger issue, in my view.
One thing is for sure. The view on life of those from London and much of the Home Counties is very very different to that out in the provinces, quite aside from the North South divide. That said, the West Country has been 'infiltrated' by down-shifters and flight from urban life in London and the Birmingham area in particular so that the West Country accent is now in the clear minority in these parts. The London area accent pervades.
This all makes it important to check out prospective 'hoods' before you move in permanently if you want in any way to feel part of a 'community' that you feel comfortable in, beyond having a common interest in dogs or the weather of the day.
Jul 11th 2019, 1:38 pm
#683
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Joined: Jan 2011
Location: Tunbridge Wells KENT
Posts: 2,914
Re: Best relocation areas in the UK?
https://www.theguardian.com/money/series/letsmoveto
Admittedly Tom Dyckhoff has his own tastes and opinions but these can be a good starting point, particularly for those who have schools to consider.
Retirement is always a big discussion point in the UK and there are a number of articles which come out each year with areas to retire to - The Telegraph and The Times cover this in particular. This is usually done on a county and borough basis. The highest rated boroughs to retire to in England are Eden and Craven in the North and Purbeck and South Hams in the south (west).
BTW, in the The Sunday Times Best Place to Live feature - the winner was Salisbury. In the South East the winner was Petworth. Midlands - Edale Derbyshire. Wales - Crickhowell Powys. Northeast - York. Scotland - Dundee. East - Bury St Edmunds. Northwest - Kirkby Lonsdale. Southwest - Topsham (edge of Exeter). Northern Ireland - Holywood Co. Down.
This article was the very first one I ever saw which discussed the best places to live:
https://www.countrylife.co.uk/proper...-britain-42196
Here's the Sunday Times (Best Places) article - you can at least see the full list without having to get through the paywall.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/b...imes-3qkwjnvrm
Last edited by Pistolpete2; Jul 11th 2019 at 2:44 pm.
Jul 11th 2019, 2:04 pm
#684
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Re: Best relocation areas in the UK?
Me too. It’s an aspect of expat-ednesss that we don’t often hear about.
I would have thought living in a community where there are plenty of like-minded people would be high on the list of considerations when choosing where to settle. I seem to remember Pistolpete did loads of research, though, so presumably there were other, overriding factors - without wanting to trawl through all his old posts, I think there was a son who was into sailing or marine engineering or something like that.
I’ve only ever lived in one place where I really felt like a fish out of water. It was very lonely. If I found myself in that situation again, I would definitely be looking at moving.
I really can't even try to articulate what it might be that causes so much social isolation. However the population here are older not typically well-traveled professionals who have made a success of their lives financially. In fact quite that contrary and that is not a good start because I often find their resultant rather sour - I'm being polite - views offensive.
As I said in a previous post, on balance, Weymouth works for us as a couple and overall is probably as good as it gets here FOR US because there are lots of positives, BUT if things turn ugly locally after a no-deal Brexit, we will likely leave the UK for as much of each year as we can after we leave the EU.
We will be in Portugal from Oct - Dec anyway and then elsewhere before we return in April 2020. After that we have no idea, at this point.
I fully recognise that other places can also be isolating for other reasons - Portugal has the real language barrier.
Last edited by Pistolpete2; Jul 11th 2019 at 2:18 pm.
Jul 11th 2019, 2:37 pm
#685
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Re: Best relocation areas in the UK?
If we moved back my husband would like to live in Devon/Dorset/Cornwall by the sea. For me it would be Cheshire, around the Chester/Tarporley/Knutsford area. He would prefer Prestbury/Alderley Edge. I don’t want to go back to an area I am unfamiliar with and to be honest, I was never really happy living in South Manchester.
Jul 11th 2019, 2:46 pm
#686
Joined: Aug 2003
Location: East Seaxe
Posts: 72,573
Re: Best relocation areas in the UK?
I read the hard-copy of The Times on Saturdays as there is a paywall and the Saturday edition has some decent supplements which can sometimes include ideas on where to live but that newspaper and the Sunday Times (Home section) seem to spend a fair amount of time discussing parts of the UK to spend time in on vacation generally, to visit the seaside or to walk and to settle to live in. For instance, The Sunday Times published a Best Places to Live feature around 14th April 2019 and I retained a hard copy as I found it useful. The Guardian, which doesn't have a paywall also covers places to live from time to time though it has Let's Move To every Saturday, which we used to post and discuss in the aforementioned Location Location Location thread.
https://www.theguardian.com/money/series/letsmoveto
Admittedly Tom Dyckhoff has his own tastes and opinions but these can be a good starting point, particularly for those who have schools to consider.
Retirement is always a big discussion point in the UK and there are a number of articles which come out each year with areas to retire to - The Telegraph and The Times cover this in particular. This is usually done on a county and borough basis. The highest rated boroughs to retire to in England are Eden and Craven in the North and Purbeck and South Hams in the south (west).
BTW, in the The Sunday Times Best Place to Live feature - the winner was Salisbury. In the South East the winner was Petworth. Midlands - Edale Derbyshire. Wales - Crickhowell Powys. Northeast - York. Scotland - Dundee. East - Bury St Edmunds. Northwest - Kirkby Lonsdale. Southwest - Topsham (edge of Exeter). Northern Ireland - Holywood Co. Down.
This article was the very first one I ever saw which discussed the best places to live:
https://www.countrylife.co.uk/proper...-britain-42196
https://www.theguardian.com/money/series/letsmoveto
Admittedly Tom Dyckhoff has his own tastes and opinions but these can be a good starting point, particularly for those who have schools to consider.
Retirement is always a big discussion point in the UK and there are a number of articles which come out each year with areas to retire to - The Telegraph and The Times cover this in particular. This is usually done on a county and borough basis. The highest rated boroughs to retire to in England are Eden and Craven in the North and Purbeck and South Hams in the south (west).
BTW, in the The Sunday Times Best Place to Live feature - the winner was Salisbury. In the South East the winner was Petworth. Midlands - Edale Derbyshire. Wales - Crickhowell Powys. Northeast - York. Scotland - Dundee. East - Bury St Edmunds. Northwest - Kirkby Lonsdale. Southwest - Topsham (edge of Exeter). Northern Ireland - Holywood Co. Down.
This article was the very first one I ever saw which discussed the best places to live:
https://www.countrylife.co.uk/proper...-britain-42196
Thanks for all the info, I'll check it out. I won't ever be in the Sussex income bracket, and I think the average age in Salisbury is 90 but it is a pretty town.
Jul 11th 2019, 3:03 pm
#687
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Re: Best relocation areas in the UK?
If we moved back my husband would like to live in Devon/Dorset/Cornwall by the sea. For me it would be Cheshire, around the Chester/Tarporley/Knutsford area. He would prefer Prestbury/Alderley Edge. I don’t want to go back to an area I am unfamiliar with and to be honest, I was never really happy living in South Manchester.
There is something particularly soothing about the waves and sea vistas and the fishing boats and ships going about their business. A big plus here. I feel it's a nice foil to the busy land-side of things.
It does make one reluctant to look for other places further inland if only because the (English) Channel climate is so mild here year-round.
Seven miles from here further inland, 4 degrees C colder in Winter, 4 degrees C warmer in Summer.
Fortunately we are below the houses which catch most of the sustained high winds when they come off the Channel and that can be important. Earlier this year we twice had three continuous days of near Tropical Storm force winds.
Jul 11th 2019, 3:37 pm
#688
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 88,023
Re: Best relocation areas in the UK?
Sorry to add weight to your husband's side of the 'argument' but the sea does have a certain pull about it. We lived with a view of the sea in Bermuda (beach was 400 yards away). Half a mile away in St Lucia and 100 yards away here in Weymouth.
There is something particularly soothing about the waves and sea vistas and the fishing boats and ships going about their business. A big plus here. I feel it's a nice foil to the busy land-side of things.
It does make one reluctant to look for other places further inland if only because the (English) Channel climate is so mild here year-round.
Seven miles from here further inland, 4 degrees C colder in Winter, 4 degrees C warmer in Summer.
Fortunately we are below the houses which catch most of the sustained high winds when they come off the Channel and that can be important. Earlier this year we twice had three continuous days of near Tropical Storm force winds.
There is something particularly soothing about the waves and sea vistas and the fishing boats and ships going about their business. A big plus here. I feel it's a nice foil to the busy land-side of things.
It does make one reluctant to look for other places further inland if only because the (English) Channel climate is so mild here year-round.
Seven miles from here further inland, 4 degrees C colder in Winter, 4 degrees C warmer in Summer.
Fortunately we are below the houses which catch most of the sustained high winds when they come off the Channel and that can be important. Earlier this year we twice had three continuous days of near Tropical Storm force winds.
Jul 13th 2019, 9:18 pm
#689
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Re: Best relocation areas in the UK?
If we moved back my husband would like to live in Devon/Dorset/Cornwall by the sea. For me it would be Cheshire, around the Chester/Tarporley/Knutsford area. He would prefer Prestbury/Alderley Edge. I don’t want to go back to an area I am unfamiliar with and to be honest, I was never really happy living in South Manchester.
Would you guys feel that Cornwall is too isolated?
Jul 14th 2019, 10:22 am
#690
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Posts: 7,280
Re: Best relocation areas in the UK?
From what you've posted so far, then yes, I would say too isolated to fit your requirements.
How frequently would you and your wife want to visit London? Or indeed to have the kids come to visit you?
How frequently would you and your wife want to visit London? Or indeed to have the kids come to visit you?