BCCanuck

I'm looking at houses around the Dover area and am amazed at how low they go in price. Does anyone have any idea why? There are a few nice looking semi-detached ones in Aycliffe but googling doesn't find any issues with the place.

christmasoompa

I don't know where Aycliffe is, is it really close to Dover? If so, that would explain it!

burbschook

The prices are cheaper because a lot of areas in Dover are S**TE!!

Aycliffe is to the west of Dover & most of it is on a hill. Very suburbanish.

The town is still as depressing as when Bill Bryant was there.

robin1234

There are some very nice places to live in East Kent, also some down-market places. In general, all have quite reasonable house prices, and I think part of the answer is that train times to London are often slow in relation to the distance from London.

burbschook

You made me curious so I looked up some sites. Well I'll be! The prices sure have dropped since I was in E. Kent 5 years ago. Look around the myriad of villages rather than Dover itself. I'm more than happy to give you upshots on any that interest you.

BCCanuck

Thanks Vikkichic et al. We're not looking in Dover proper but the surrounding areas/villages. The homes in Aycliffe were surprisingly low so I was wondering why, bad area or business closure? Deal and Walmer look ok as well but google and google streetview only tell you so much. I was hoping a local or ex-local would have some input.

We're retired so don't need to be on a commuter route and would like some place sunnier/drier. Living in a rain forest isn't all it's cracked up to be.

britwhore

River is really nice. Just outside Dover but nearer Alkham (spelling?) Valley (beautiful)

huddm

BCCanuck

I moved back from Pembroke, Ontario to Oxfordshire late 2005. We found the area far too expensive and moved to the outskirts off Dover in summer 2008.
I spent my early years as a child in Dover, then Folkestone until I left to study in Surrey. I have lived in many of the home counties as well as 8 years in Canada.

As in other posts we were over 2 hours from London by train, so most jobs were local i.e custom and excises and port workers etc. With the high speed train from Dover it now takes 68 minutes to get to London. I use the train for business travel and am surprised that the house prices have not risen as other towns on the high speed line. I believe it is due to the recession the UK has had in the last few years. Dover has a high income/house price ratio, which for us meant we have more disposable income than when we lived in Oxfordshire.

I agree the town is not a pretty as some of our local East Kent Villages.

Being a port town is not highly though of such as other Kent towns as Tonbridge Wells.

For us we like it here as we live in a sub division of 30 odd customer built houses on quarter to half acre lots. Houses are valued £200K to £350K( ones with decent sized heated swimming pools). We are 5 minutes from the town, but with rural views.

Our visitors from Canada last year were impressed with the area i.e countryside, coastal footpaths and links across the channel. I was told by them that we could not get our house for anywhere "near they money" with what we had on our door step in similar areas in Canada.

Having lived in Calgary, Hannar and Pembrokeshire in Canada, Kent, Surrey, Essex, Suffolk, Oxfordshire and Hampshire, England my wife prefers SE Kent.
Even my two sons who attend the local Grammar school said the local Chav's are friendly enough.

pm if you have any questions.
Hudd

britwhore

I grew up in Dover before moving to London and the the US. It's definitely changed but it's not terrible. Just a working/lower middle class town with a great and historic location. I was actually back there for a few days over christmas cause my Dad still lives there. The town seems to be in a better condition than it was 2 years ago. All the shops in the market square were open this time.

It is far from London and it is full of "illegals" because it's the first port of call for a lot of them. Folkestone Road is FULL of them.

Pomster

My family all live near Dover (but luckily not too close!).

Locally it is known as Kosovo.
Lots of the illegals coming over in lorries jump off there and the local council is obliged to keep them. So I guess a lot of the council budgets are spent on housing rather than a wider range of services.

People also tell me the weekend is no go zone in the town centre (I never go out there anyway).
The shame is that there are some lovely areas nearby like Kearnsey and River (river is beautiful) but the horrible depressing 1970s run down town centre of Dover itself is foul.
Dover used to be a pleasant little spot about 20 years ago.
Oh and that corner of Kent is an unemployment blackspot!

burbschook

Aycliffe & the like was & maybe still is to a degree ex army houses (say no more)
Actually Deal & Walmer are quite nice. They have all the conveniences of town living but nice intimate semi private spots too. Lots of community based events,clubs & groups. Kearsney & River are lovely but you're tied to Dover & Folkstone for local towns towns. Um .... yuk

bali30

hi i am new here we are couple in our 30 is also looking to relocate from london to aycliffe as property are cheap any advice living job opportunities thank you