What would you do - where shall I move to?

jm2926

TimeForChange2015 wrote: »

Just really wanting people's thoughts on what areas in the following cities and towns would be good to look at.

Glasgow, Manchester (including Greater Manchester), Newcastle, Birmingham, Nottingham, and Norwich.

glasgow - look at Partick, Dennistoun, City centre, Shawlands, other parts of Southside are good but I don't know them.
Avoid Govan, Parkhead, Tollcross,

taxi97w

Rotterdam in Holland, fabulous!

English speakers, public transport- trams especially run all over and at v frequently, bike lanes everywhere, you may hardly ever need the tram. Cultural events and festivals going on all the time ...the list is endless.
1 hour train trip to Amsterdam. The whole continent at your doorstep !
Fly 45mins from Leeds/Bradford to Amsterdam or overnight ferry from Hull or Harwich ?

BitterAndTwisted

Deal in Kent. One-bedroomed flats are currently between £500 and £600 a month. By the sea, nice local shops, friendly neighbours, plenty going on, 1 and 3/4 hours on the train to Charing Cross. Likely to be a shorter journey once the high-speed connection gets going down to Ramsgate. You're likely to be inundated with friends and family wanting to visit in the summer months if that would be a bonus.

ecgirl07

jm2926 wrote: »

glasgow - look at Partick, Dennistoun, City centre, Shawlands, other parts of Southside are good but I don't know them.
Avoid Govan, Parkhead, Tollcross,

Agree with these, the caveat I'd have with Glasgow is the weather. If you need sunshine and warmth its maybe not for you, since June we have had constant grey sky which is beginning to get folks down.

Hillbilly1

I agree with Bitter and Twisted and would widen to many of the Kent coastal towns. Deal is about 1/3 cheaper than Whitstable. In Deal going south to Walmer is well worth the extra 5 mins to town.

It would keep you in the SE where you are likely to see better capital increases than the rest of the UK.

TimeForChange2015

Thanks for the suggestions - I really appreciate all hints and tips.

Feeling less nervous and more excited now. There's a much wider choice of areas than I realised.

I do like the west country - and that cottage in Malmesbury looks lovely (all that for the cost of a poky room in London!). Think I might be a bit isolated there as a non-driver (seems no buses there on Sundays?), but other parts of Wiltshire definitely worth looking at.

I've added Lincoln to my list.

Rotterdam (or somewhere else abroad) is so very tempting. I'm thinking more and more about a year or so abroad. Some of my work needs to be UK based - but not all of it. I think my plan is to leave London, rent at least for 6 months, and decide from there whether to stay put in the new area or move on (abroad or UK).

Kent was where I first thought of. I won't rule it out but by the time I could buy I think the SE will be out of my reach (not the end of the world - as I'm happy going further afield).

I did wonder about the weather, but think I'll be okay. Working from home means I get to hide away from any particularly bad weather conditions (no nasty commutes!), and warm sunny days can be great but I can get sunshine on holiday (I also don't like it too hot - especially if working).

fluffpot

Some friends on mine moved to Cornwall and found it quite hard to make friends. After 2 years they moved on. (They have kids which is a good way in and both are very sociable). I think it was more that they were viewed as outsiders. Of course I know that there are lovely friendly people in Cornwall and, they may just have had a bad experience, but I think that being in a city makes it easier to meet new people and you are used to city life

As you have the opportunity, why not go abroad? Nothing ventured!

I just came back from Mexico and the town of Oaxaca (pronounced Wah haka) was somewhere I would definitely go back to to spend 6 months learning Spanish. Very cheap to live there. Safe and met lots of single women (mostly American) who come for the winter (fall in love with the place and then stay!). Great food, weather etc etc


Good luck with your plans, and include some dreams in them too!

Davesnave

fluffpot wrote: »

Some friends on mine moved to Cornwall and found it quite hard to make friends. After 2 years they moved on. (They have kids which is a good way in and both are very sociable). I think it was more that they were viewed as outsiders.

I think there can be few places left in Cornwall where the 'outsiders' thing still flourishes. Here, in deepest, darkest Devon, estuary English is spoken, though I'll agree, there are few black or brown faces.

Moving to the country can leave people isolated, however, as it's important to join in with local events. We have people who come to our village and just use it as a commuting base. They are never seen at activities that happen here, and there's a lot going on, but it's not advertised the same way as in a city.

For example, the village magazine, produced monthly, doesn't have a single subscriber in the complex of 14 barn conversions near me. These are always up for sale. People come here with vague ideas about 'living in the country,' but they haven't a clue what that entails. They soon notice it's 20 miles to Waitrose, though! :rotfl:

A non driver wouldn't be happy in Bude. Falmouth is lovely but quite pricey, as it's a student town and a retirement magnet, thanks to the sailing and the best weather on the mainland.

Davesnave

sofarbehind wrote: »

The south of Birmingham is really nice, Moseley and Harborne in particular. Nottingham is a decent city and house prices are very reasonable, it's somewhere I'd consider.

Seconded.

People underrate Brum, even those who live there, apparently, according to a recent survey.

These parts of the city, and the bits in between, are green and pleasant, but they're cosmopolitan and lively too.

ancientofdays

I third the above post about Birmingham - Harborne and Moseley are both good places to live. Can be expensive if you are looking for frugality, so you might wish to consider Kings Heath, which adjoins Moseley.
But if I had the choice, I would pick Norwich and ideally close to the city centre.