Relocating to Hertfordshire

eatit

Hi all,

I am after some guidance please.

My company is relocating offices next year (September to be exact) and will be based in Hertfordshire (near PottersBar).

I really do not know where to start and need some help getting my head around it all...

Some background information;

I currently live in Sutton, Surrey in a 2 Bed house that has in excess of £50k in equity.

My wife really isn't keen on moving but the journey time from my home would be around the 2 hour mark (each way). The job itself is good and I enjoy going to work and future prospects are very promising.

We have 2 children (7yr and 2yr) which we will need to find schools for.

Main questions are;
1) Where can I find out about the local areas regarding Schooling, Crime, Ammenities etc?
2) Does anyone live up that way who can give me an idea to nice areas to look at? I currently travel 45mins each way to the current factory location.
3) Would I be likely to be given a £200k mortgage (based on my single wage of £45k)? I am looking at a price range of £250k using the equity.
4) What should I look at negotiating for a relocation package? The company stresses that they need me to further the business but I am sure there is a cap in place and I obviously want to get as close as I can to it!

I have done a small 'recce' (spell?) and have a nice feeling about Bishops Stortford but prices seem higher than I expected.
I have also looked at a few New Build properties in Stanstead Mountfichet.

Obviously another option is to rent our 2 bed house and rent up there (or look at a buy to let mortgage and buy???).

Please do let me have any thoughts or ideas as my head is swimming with all the options etc.

Thank you all in advance

TW

silvercar

Why not sell your current home and rent for 6 months in Potters Bar - that way you get an idea of the area.

bryanb

Would you expect to get a redundancy payment if you did not take the relocation?
Do you anticipate getting a new job would be fairly easy?
I would worry if your wife is "not keen" sometimes that can mean totally opposed.

zzzLazyDaisy

silvercar wrote: »

Why not sell your current home and rent for 6 months in Potters Bar - that way you get an idea of the area.

That's what I would do, as it is often only once you live in an area and get talking to people that you find out what the place is like, where you'd like to live, and where to avoid.

Would the company be willing to put you up in a hotel, or a small apartment for, say, 6 months? It would mean that you could spend weekends at home, and could get home occasionally in the week, while you look around, but it would avoid uprooting your children into rented accommodation and then again when you decided to buy. Perhaps there might be a possibility for working from home occasionally?

In any case, unless the company is willing to buy your house, you could be waiting some time to find a buyer, so you will need to decide what to do while you are waiting for it to sell.

eatit

bryanb wrote: »

Would you expect to get a redundancy payment if you did not take the relocation?
Do you anticipate getting a new job would be fairly easy?
I would worry if your wife is "not keen" sometimes that can mean totally opposed.

Redundancy is not an option that I want to pursue. Main reason is that I have recently returned here after 5 months at another company (they enticed me back 3 weeks ago). This IS the job for me and long term I can see this as somewhere I could stay for a long time.

I too am concerned as to my wifes view on it. To be honest we do not have much choice but to relocate and I think that is why she is sticking her heels in. I can completely understand why she feels this way so I need to convince her that it will be the best for all of us...

zzzLazyDaisy wrote: »

Would the company be willing to put you up in a hotel, or a small apartment for, say, 6 months? It would mean that you could spend weekends at home, and could get home occasionally in the week, while you look around, but it would avoid uprooting your children into rented accommodation and then again when you decided to buy. Perhaps there might be a possibility for working from home occasionally?

An option but initial negotiations have begun (within the last hour). I have typed out and asked for the following;

BUYING COSTS

Solicitors Fess £850.00

Survey Fees £400.00

Stamp Duty £8,250.00

Search Fees £200.00

Mortgage Arrangement Fees £400.00

Removal Costs £1,000.00

Land Registration Fee £400.00

TOTAL £11,500.00

SELLING COSTS

Solicitors Fess £850.00

HIP £350.00

Estate Agent Fees £6,750.00

TOTAL £7,950.00

FINAL TOTAL £19,450.00

Anything I have missed?
I think I should where possible use this as an advantage and move completely in one hit so I can 'hopefully' get as much financial support as possible. Renting is a good idea and I can certainly see the advantages but moving twice within 12 months is going to be painfull.

I cannot even begin to contemplate the thought of being away from my family for any length of time over 6 months (3 days a week based in Potters Bar) so although a smart idea that is a no...getting home to wife and kids is a big deal to me on a daily basis.

Thanks for the ideas so far.

TW

zzzLazyDaisy

eatit wrote: »

I cannot even begin to contemplate the thought of being away from my family for any length of time over 6 months (3 days a week based in Potters Bar) so although a smart idea that is a no...getting home to wife and kids is a big deal to me on a daily basis.
TW

In that case you are likely to be doing a LOT of mileage until your house sells, which will cost you in petrol and wear and tear of your car (unless you have a company car). It is possible for the company to agree to pay your personal petrol (tho many employers will limit this to commuting to work from home). That of course is a taxable benefit, but private petrol attracts a one-off tax. I worked it out once that someone travelling 50 miles or more each way 5 days a week would benefit from the concession. I haven't looked at this recently, but it might be worth checking out.

Jowo_2

eatit wrote: »

I cannot even begin to contemplate the thought of being away from my family for any length of time over 6 months (3 days a week based in Potters Bar) so although a smart idea that is a no...getting home to wife and kids is a big deal to me on a daily basis.

Over and above your wife's reluctance to move away from friends or family, the disruption to your children's schools and their feelings and so forth?

Like the previous poster, I'd recommend prioritising resolving your wife's fears and doing the hearts and minds thing in persuading her of the merits for the whole family rather than looking at it from just a logistical perspective or how it affects you.

BitterAndTwisted

I know people who live in both Sutton and up in Herts and I've heard a lot more unfavourable comments about Sutton, so moving could be a big plus for your family.

If you like Bishops Stortford and Stansted Mountfitchet have a look at St Margarets. Even Hertford's not bad and some of the outlying villages are lovely, Bengeo for instance

eatit

Jowo wrote: »

Over and above your wife's reluctance to move away from friends or family, the disruption to your children's schools and their feelings and so forth?

Like the previous poster, I'd recommend prioritising resolving your wife's fears and doing the hearts and minds thing in persuading her of the merits for the whole family rather than looking at it from just a logistical perspective or how it affects you.

Wow that makes me sound really selfish (hopefully not intended) and as far as I am concerned I am anything but.
Priorities are my family (wife and kids). However we do need the job I am in and the money it produces. Schooling and my wifes happiness are of upmost importance as is my own state of mind. I am very family orientated and hate being away from them (business trips are something I dread) which would in-turn cause unhappiness for me and I would hope for them (with me not being around).

Relocating is a big move for all of us and I agree we need to make sound decisions but we have pretty much decided to sell/buy rather than rent so we avoid one part of the process.

I heartily respect and thank you all for your ideas and guidance and so far some information has given me further ideas.

Have I missed anything glaring on the relocation package negotiation? A lump sum for instance?
If our house does not sell quickly then I will be doing the daily commute which will be painful. 8 months isn't long to get it all done!

EDIT: zzzLazyDaisy, I do have a company vehicle - but again a very good point that I had not taken into consideration. Thank you

silvercar

Schooling and my wifes happiness are of upmost importance as is my own state of mind.

You have the ideal opportunity to make sure that you buy within the catchment area of a good school. Potters Bar has some very good schools. I would look closely at Dame Alice Owen. It is the best state school in the area. People apply from miles away to get a place there, if you can get a catchment area place you will be doing very well.