Should I buy a second home?

Murphybear

We had a friend who moved from Exeter to Aberdeen because property was cheaper. However she hadn’t taken into account the shorter hours of daylight, the colder weather and the higher cost of heating.  It’s swings and roundabouts.

I’d love to live in Scotland but my husband isn’t keen.  It’s a very long way from Dorset where we live

Sapindus

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-23234033

This calculator demonstrates that there are other options between the extremes of Aberdeen and Wokingham (including various parts of that unknown province termed "The Midlands" as already mentioned).  It's probably out of date now in terms of actual prices but as a comparative tool it's probably still relevant.

Even in Scotland the weather varies with many places on the west coast having milder winters and don't forget the longer days in summer to make up for the dark winters.

GDB2222

Murphybear said:

We had a friend who moved from Exeter to Aberdeen because property was cheaper. However she hadn’t taken into account the shorter hours of daylight, the colder weather and the higher cost of heating.  It’s swings and roundabouts.

I’d love to live in Scotland but my husband isn’t keen.  It’s a very long way from Dorset where we live

The long winter nights would do me in!  Hardy people, the Scots. I take my hat off to them.

Flugelhorn

Murphybear said:

We had a friend who moved from Exeter to Aberdeen because property was cheaper. However she hadn’t taken into account the shorter hours of daylight, the colder weather and the higher cost of heating.  It’s swings and roundabouts.

I’d love to live in Scotland but my husband isn’t keen.  It’s a very long way from Dorset where we live

I agree - Exeter to Aberdeen would have been an almighty shock, the winters are so different

Rosa_Damascena

Flugelhorn said:

Murphybear said:

We had a friend who moved from Exeter to Aberdeen because property was cheaper. However she hadn’t taken into account the shorter hours of daylight, the colder weather and the higher cost of heating.  It’s swings and roundabouts.

I’d love to live in Scotland but my husband isn’t keen.  It’s a very long way from Dorset where we live

I agree - Exeter to Aberdeen would have been an almighty shock, the winters are so different

The summers too!

No wonder Scotland is renowned for whiskey, porridge and shortbread - all stuff to to warm you up!

Wyndham

vijayrao said:

Gavin83 said:

Any particular reason you have to live in one of the more expensive parts of England?

I live in Cambridgeshire and I bought a large 4 bed detached house recently for £430k. That's not even close to being the cheapest part of England either.

   At the moment my wife has a job here and kids school. 

What is their view on a potential move? You've mentioned your own work, and how you can do it remotely, but what would it mean for your wife's job? How would your kids feel about a big move north?

I moved at 12 and 17 due to my dad's job. It partly 'made' me, but wasn't easy by any means.