Londoners, why do you not move?

notanewuser

My sister still lives in London. Both she and her boyfriend have large 2 bed flats in SW6. They now rent one out. Both earn good money.

When they come to sell, they'll be able to buy pretty much whatever they want wherever they want with the equity.

time2deal

I'm from Sydney, but have lived in London for 8 years. People ask me why I am here on a regular basis. I have an amazing flat (2 bed, garden), a fantastic challenging job and everyday I look from my desk across to the Gherkin and other wonderful buildings.

It's busy, and challenging, and wonderful and diverse. You hear 100 languages everyday at work, on the tube, in pubs... and I'm not a culture person, I just love the craziness and wonder of humanity. I learn new things about so much everyday - just from watching people, as well as traditional learning by working with brilliant challenging people.

I like seeing tourists in my home city everyday, and never felt more proud then when the Olympics came and people saw the joy of London. We are also all quite reserved in many ways, and you need a mask to maintain some privacy, but behind that are the most fun, cultured, broad minded and wonderful people I have known in the world.

I get a buzz from being part of it. I oddly enjoy walking through the middle of Liverpool street station with thousands of people all finding and giving space to everyone around them. I think we could spend 1000 years trying to get computers to do that, to get so many people smoothly moving and adjusting for so many variables, but its one of the everyday miracles that humans do all the time.

I'm leaving next year, due to family and health issues, and it is breaking my heart! I will sell my home, as I know if I have it I will always be too tempted to return...

"Sir, if you wish to have a just notion of the magnitude of this city, you must not be satisfied with seeing its great streets and squares, but must survey the innumerable little lanes and courts. It is not in the showy evolutions of buildings, but in the multiplicity of human habitations which are crowded together, that the wonderful immensity of London consists." Samuel Johnson

pimento

I'm with Samuel Johnson who said "When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life".

I was born in London and lived there until I was in my 40s. I now live 35 miles out but still commute there to work five days a week. If I had a big lottery win I would move back in but would choose my area carefully.

cattie

I've lived in London all my life, earlier years spent in or very close to the centre. Now I live in a London suburb. I can honestly say I've never lived anywhere cramped

I wouldn't want to move from London as I love having everything fairly close by & as a non-driver, the transport links are fantastic. Even though I no longer work, good transport links are key to me.

Moving somewhere cheaper & perhaps quieter where I knew nobody would fill me with dread. What's the point in having money in the bank from selling up & buying a cheaper place if you end up somewhere where you feel lonely & have to struggle to build a new life getting to know people?

The area that I've lived in for the past few years is probably one of the most greenest places out of all the London boroughs/suburbs, so there is no feeling of being hemmed in, with acres & acres of greenery for walking, relaxing etc. right on your doorstep. It's like having the best of both worlds.

Prices understandably sound horrendous to people who don't come from London or never really lived here, but when it's all you're used to, it's the norm & you don't think twice about buying property or paying rent here.

mjdh1957

I did leave. In 1977 when I was 19, and have never wanted to move back.

catflapuk

I don't move because of my job. I would not have that job in another city. Basically, the job I do is with companies who have offices in major cities, such as London, New York or Shanghai. Also, I am not English and it is much easier for me to fly out from London to see family etc. It is also much easier for them to visit me.

grifferz

I'm not from London, but I've lived here since 1998.

The way I look at it, I like living here for many of the reasons other people have stated, but if we later decide to move away then at least the money from our property will go a lot further elsewhere. It would be a lot harder the other way around.

Actually when my mother was down here looking at houses with us she stood in front of one property and said,

"What's the business with the two doors?"

"What mum?"

"Why's it got two front doors?"

"Er, this is two houses mum. This is semi-detached."

"That's not big enough for two houses! It's that much for one house!?"

I swear this really happened.

At the moment though there's only two of us and we feel like we have enough space. We feel like we wouldn't know what to do with more rooms to clean! Yes this is most likely just conditioning, but who cares as long as you're comfortable?

A lot of people do ask me why I want to live where I do and I find it a really odd question. Why do they want to live where they do!? In any such conversation which of us is more likely to be trapped by our circumstances? It's an almost offensive undertone of "you are doing life wrong, why aren't you more like me?" really! Whereas I am happy to assume that they are happy enough with their different lifestyle.

R_P_W

I moved to London a year ago with my wife. We moved from the midlands and did so as my wife's job was relocating.

It is more expensive, but her pay has more than doubled. We bought a flat in sw19 and love it here. Not too busy and very nice area, with great links into the city.

Getting rid of the car was great. Never run out of things to see, places to eat and drink and I am still surprised at how much greenery there is in London both centrally and further out.

junglejim2

Property oop north is cheap for a reason.

Tiglath

I'm not moving because I like living and working in London. If that changes in the future, I'll sell up and move.