Help needed to escape our poverty trap!

arbrighton

McKneff wrote: »

My son lives in Abingdon, lovely place.

When we actually went into the town we were struck by the family atmosphere where families sat in restaurants, no shouting and bawling, parents talking nicely to their children who were so well behaved.
People were nice too but an expensive place to buy a property.

It is indeed lovely in Abingdon- was v sad to leave a year ago.
But yes, expensive. The house sold at 6% more than when we bought it in 06 and the market is flooded with overpriced apartments (ok, some have river views but.....)
They were just starting to regenerate the slightly tatty town centre shops when we left and there are some great independent shops there plus a monthly farmers market etc. Didn't view schools as a parent but as someone who used to teach, the state schools didn't seem that great but it's a skewed market with so many private schools around.

gingergee

Davesnave wrote: »

I may as well give a plug to my home area, which has done well in a recent family-orientated evaluation:

http://www.thisisnorthdevon.co.uk/Chulmleigh-Shebbear-places-raise-child-UK/story-17061835-detail/story.html

There's no doubt this area is safe, very pretty and boasts some good schools, but if you are the sort of person who doesn't want to travel far for your job, entertainment & retail therapy, you'd be better off somewhere else!

There's good community spirit in Middle Devon, mainly because the holiday/second homes are concentrated in the touristy areas, mostly near coasts.

Curiosity get me, where abouts are you (ish)? Sorry being nosey lol but im just on devon/somerset border, i love it down here, would recommend it to anyone x

V_Chic_Chick

To help us narrow things down . . .
- big city, small city, big town, small town or more rural?
- how far from London, or is this not a factor?
- any particular interests that you have, e.g. outdoor pursuits?
- anything else that would make a town more attractive?

Bristol (my hometown) is a lovely place to live, but most of the state secondaries are crap, so just about everyone who can goes to the private sector (there's an unusually high number of private schools in Bristol to boot). If I was going to go to Bristol in your situation, then I'd make sure that I'd either found religion (so as to get into St Mary Redcliffe) or I'd moved very, very close to Redland Green / Cotham / Colston Girls / Bristol Cathedral Choir School. Alternatively, you could make sure that you were in the catchment area for one of the decent schools in North Somerset, S Gloucs or BANES and have your husband to commute. The other crap thing about Bristol is the public transport - and as a result the city has become somewhat obsessed with cycling, and it also has some of the worst congestion outside Central London.

Manchester (where I now live) can be quite nice, and property prices are relatively low, but it's less family orientated (certainly in my part - Rusholme) and I don't know about the schools.

embob74

lozmk1 wrote: »

House prices are high in York compared to Leeds and further up,the a1 (we have just moved from York to Darlington, bought a bigger detached house more bedrooms with garage and gardens 5 years old for £4 yes four!!!! more than we sold our pokey 3 bed terrace for!) and as for rat race...I'm not sure what part of York you live in but you bviously never use the a64 or a1237! Gridlock from 7am til7pm!

The A64 is bad at rush hour but I've been on at other times and it was always fine. I always liked York - it always looked clean
Harrogate is a popular town for ex-Londoners. It's quite cosmopolitan, nice areas, period buildings, good schools and good shops. And it's between Leeds and York for commuting. Rental prices would be just over half of what you're paying for a good house in a nice area.
I also know West Dorset quite well but it may be a bit too rural. Good rail links from Weymouth/ Dorchester/ Poole/ Bournemouth to London and the primary schools are outstanding, as well as a lot of high schools.
Of course the increased costs would need to be factored in as no point saving on rent to pay it our in travel!!

hcb42

Have just moved into rental today, 25 years after buying for first ever time.

I am in the midlands, paying £800 a month for a family home. Trust me I have seen every home between the two main midlands airports, and this is the best deal I can get. I guess with that rental you are nearer London, assuming you have professional roles, then that isnt too bad, if you dont, then yes, it is a very high rental and moving north might be a solution. But not all the "north" is cheap either. I am well above what I thought I could pay for a temporary rental, main reason being lack of supply.

ruggedtoast

I was paying £1100 a month for a small 2 bed mid terrace in London when our son was born.

Thank all the gods, I was offered a job in the provinces for the same as my London salary before my wife's maternity pay ended, and was able to buy somewhere.

I have no clue how we could have afforded to make ends meet while paying for childcare or just on my salary otherwise.

The squeeze on new families now is just insane.

pleasedelete

lozmk1 wrote: »

House prices are high in York compared to Leeds and further up,the a1 (we have just moved from York to Darlington, bought a bigger detached house more bedrooms with garage and gardens 5 years old for £4 yes four!!!! more than we sold our pokey 3 bed terrace for!) and as for rat race...I'm not sure what part of York you live in but you bviously never use the a64 or a1237! Gridlock from 7am til7pm!

You can't compare York to Darlo! It's like comparing Betty's to Greggs.

pleasedelete

embob74 wrote: »

Harrogate is a popular town for ex-Londoners. It's quite cosmopolitan, nice areas, period buildings, good schools and good shops. And it's between Leeds and York for commuting. Rental prices would be just over half of what you're paying for a good house in a nice area.
!

Harrogate is an odd market. Renting is quite reasonable but buying not so great. Wouldn't get a 3 bed family home to rent in a good area for £600 though (2 bed flat at best and 1 bed in nicer area). Need closer to £800-£900.

Not quite sure how it is between Leeds and York though?

warwicktiger

Kenilworth, warwick or leamington Spa

3 bed houses around £700-800 pm, in decent areas

gingergee

embob74 wrote: »

The A64 is bad at rush hour but I've been on at other times and it was always fine. I always liked York - it always looked clean
Harrogate is a popular town for ex-Londoners. It's quite cosmopolitan, nice areas, period buildings, good schools and good shops. And it's between Leeds and York for commuting. Rental prices would be just over half of what you're paying for a good house in a nice area.
I also know West Dorset quite well but it may be a bit too rural. Good rail links from Weymouth/ Dorchester/ Poole/ Bournemouth to London and the primary schools are outstanding, as well as a lot of high schools.
Of course the increased costs would need to be factored in as no point saving on rent to pay it our in travel!!

Harrogate is also lovely. I have many fond childhood memories from time spent there. Even though i left the north i do miss the beautiful parts. But then there are nice parts everywhere. Like i said, it all depends on what is the highest on your priority list. This thread has brought back some really nice times i had forgotten. x