Please help me find somewhere affordable to retire.

ognum

knightstyle wrote: »

Another vote for Lincolnshire, we moved to Gainsborough after living and working in France for many years. You can get a few years old two or even three bedroom semi for your money.

But op states detached!

ognum

Pensioned_Off wrote: »

Here I am - fresh as a daisy after the pain killers have now worn off. They put me into a near hibernation sometimes .



^^^ This is why I thought I'd ask on here - so that I could get a bit of local knowledge and find those areas that are 'cheap and not so grim'. So, please keep the suggestions coming.

As some are curious about my circumstances I'll give a bit more background. I have no siblings, no close extended family and no children. My parents are dead - my dad when I was 5 and my mum a couple of years ago (I was her carer in the last few years whilst still working full time so that kind of isolated me from any social life). I only have two close friends and we can visit each other, play online scrabble and Skype so no problems there.

So, now I have been pensioned off much earlier than I'd ever expected and actually am really looking forward to just moving away and starting again. I have no debts (paid them off with my lump sum) and a small but reasonable monthly income.

I need to find somewhere to buy that I can afford - as cheap as possible - so that I can have peace of mind that the landlord isn't going to sell up or the rent get hiked.

I want to stay in the UK and am very realistic about how harsh some areas can get in winter.

Please keep the ideas coming - I'm really grateful for your help so far.

Pleased you are back with us.

Please can you review the links that have been posted and give your opinions so we can help a bit more.

Thanks

AdrianC

ognum wrote: »

But op states detached!

"or semi if possible"

moneyistooshorttomention

Davesnave wrote: »

Have a look at South Pembrokeshire. Great beaches, not too bad for accessibility and no need to speak Welsh!

Pembroke has a nice castle, but is not as well served as Haverfordwest, which is a utilitarian, but not grim town. The grim bit is probably the oil terminals around Milford Haven, yet that's not too bad, though closeness to one dents prices, which could work in your favour.

Climate similar to Atlantic Devon & Cornwall. Lots to explore inland too. Cheaper than Devon, but maybe towards the top of your budget.

That's not a bad suggestion there.

Having moved from the West Country to Wales (not exactly by choice...) then I can relate to that. Haverfordwest is indeed "utilitarian but not grim" but it is rather hilly - errrm....make that a given for much of West Wales. I don't know what your health status is - but if its something that wont cope with hilly then West Wales is not exactly the best place to be:cool:. They don't half do hills in these here parts:cool: and Haverfordwest is definite "exercise for leg muscles" time on some of the main streets (Dewi Street is "agh" territory for sure for instance). Having said that - it would be possible to avoid that - because much of "modern era shopping" has moved from those "ohmygawd what a strain on the leg muscles hills" type streets to more level type streets.

There is a huge huge difference imo between South Pembrokeshire and somewhere more "central". South Pembrokeshire is Britain and some more "central" parts are very "welsh". If that's what you want/are ok with then = no problem. It aint just North Wales where the culture is very "welsh" (rather than British) iyswim. I honestly didn't have the foggiest that that was the case till I moved here - and we all assume that where we are is how Britain is if we've lived there for many years:o. Cue for realising that it aint. Some parts of Britain do regard themselves to a very large extent as a different country. I've heard both sides of that again today - one from a South Walian assuring me "Its all Britain" and one from a West Walian assuring me "This is Wales - and its different here". You will get both viewpoints in some parts of Wales - and both sides regard theirs as "a Fact".

I wouldn't know what the north of England is like. I do recall that, many years ago, I was told I could move to Lincolnshire for half the price of my then house (ie move up the housing ladder for the same price) and I sometimes wonder whether I should have gone for that option at the time in the event. However, I chose to hang on in there and believe a way would emerge to "go up the ladder" in my own area - but it didn't:cool: <shrugs shoulders and kicks something-or-other very hard ....>.....

DO be very very very aware that different parts of Britain can feel very different and don't assume your part is how all of Britain feels. You would be astonished at just how different different parts of the same country can feel if you have spent many years living in somewhere very geared to one particular way of thinking. Its a learning experience - some pros and some cons....but it is a learning experience. I certainly hadn't realised just how much I take for absolute granted an individualistic and middle-class way of thinking (and tastes) until recently for instance.

Pensioned_Off

ognum wrote: »

Please can you review the links that have been posted and give your opinions so we can help a bit more.

I typed out a load of feedback but can't post the links as I'm a new member so... can't figure out how to do it.

Having looked at the links I've confirmed to myself that I definitely want to be away from a main road (because of the cats), away from any open 'recreational space' like a central green (risk of anti-social behaviour), want off-road parking, not fussed about whether it's a bungalow or a house (but not a flat) and nearer the sea than I first thought (maybe half an hour max).

Is this do-able for the money?

Thanks for everything so far - keep it coming.

AdrianC

Pensioned_Off wrote: »

Having looked at the links I've confirmed to myself that I definitely want to be away from a main road (because of the cats), away from any open 'recreational space' like a central green (risk of anti-social behaviour), want off-road parking, not fussed about whether it's a bungalow or a house (but not a flat) and nearer the sea than I first thought (maybe half an hour max).

Is this do-able for the money?

I'd be getting hold of a map of the country, something like a large wall roadmap, the kind of thing you used to see in offices for marking up sales reps territories, and a marker pen.

Go round it all, marking off the bits that are too far away from the coast, too expensive, too 'orrible, And see what you're left with...

moneyistooshorttomention

AdrianC wrote: »

I'd be getting hold of a map of the country, something like a large wall roadmap, the kind of thing you used to see in offices for marking up sales reps territories, and a marker pen.

Go round it all, marking off the bits that are too far away from the coast, too expensive, too 'orrible, And see what you're left with...

Very good thinking there....

....and then compare it with "your" set of interests/set of shops you expect regular access to/etc/etc....and see how it matches up.

Even things like are you expecting say Aldi/Lidl/discount shops/markets/cheap clothes shops on the one hand

OR do you personally use Sainsburys/Waitrose/John Lewis/ the local Arts Centre/etc on the other hand

and it will tell you a lot about what the "match" is like between you want/need/expect and what the area has available.

The social life is also a big factor to take into account. Is your "Social Life" pretty non-existent and "Social Life - whats a Social Life?:rotfl:" OR "Where's my theatres/cinemas/evening classes/ places to eat out?" on the other hand. In my current area there is just about enough of the "Theatre/Cinema/a smidgen of "eating out":(/a smidgen of evening classes". In some nearby places there is only the Local type Social Life - shows/family/more shows/more family and yet more family and where I am provides just about enough of what I personally recognise as Social Life. In other places it would be a case of "10 things to choose from on any night of the week" and spoilt for choice.

Do be aware of what suits you/what you personally can cope with in that respect.

PasturesNew

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

I read Pastures New comment as she is complaining about East Anglia weather - been there and can imagine it could easily be a little parky:cool:

Correct. EA (East Anglia) is ferkin freezin'

Waterlily24

I've never noticed that it is and I've always lived south of here. North West Kent, then on the coast Hampshire and West Sussex. In fact when we moved here I expected it to be a lot colder than where we were but it isn't. lol

bouicca21

Money's point about social life is pretty crucial for someone moving to an area that is completely new to them. OP may not have much of one now - or am I reading too much into the posts - but will need to forge something in the new place. So how important is access to galleries, theatres, cinema? Or are village/small town community groups going to be enough? How much needs to be on the doorstep? What's a reasonable travelling distance?