Ideas for retiring early (at age 40ish)

Cornish_mum

Hi I just wanted to chip in with some thoughts on moving to Devon etc.  I am originally from a small seaside village in Cornwall but left as soon as I could for better prospects.  I have seen quite a few people try to move down and do exactly what you propose & leave again after a few years (after making an extremely costly mistake). Those that stayed fully understood the down sides. 

There is a widespread lack of investment in infrastructure, from roads to broadband, schools to hospitals; the differences to the SE are huge. 

Lack of cultural diversity and a local culture which is quite different to the rest of England (some rural parts of Scotland and Wales are similar in my experience). There are definitely still pockets of inward looking localism (them v us culture) which can be quite challenging to deal with as an outsider especially for children. 

The grey economy, a lot of people work in the grey (off the books economy) including a lot of people with significant practical skills. There isn’t a shortage of handymen / artists/ carpenters/plumbers/electricians in my old village. The economy is largely built on small businesses and self employment. 

The weather (it’s warm and wet). Expect it to rain every day October-April. Older houses can be damp. 

Distance to London/larger cities it takes longer than you think to travel. The main train line around Dawlish regularly gets washed away into the sea closing the main route for months every few years. There is no motorway south of Exeter etc.

Running a successful AirBnB is alot of work and has significant amount of on costs (my brother runs one in his annexe). A full business plan is needed and an understanding that interacting with alot of different customers is quite a big chunk of the job; this will include difficult/unrealistic people etc. 

Making money out of agriculture is extremely difficult especially on a small scale. Added value processing of the produce is usually needed to turn any type of profit (cider, artisan cheese, niche restaurant supplies etc). 

Some families absolutely love relocating and thrive in the close knit, outdoorsy communities and run super successful businesses driven by their skills and passions. I know several but I would recommend you try before you buy preferably over winter before making the leap.

 I would really consider the changing needs of your child too and how you will manage the teen years (eg you may find yourself becoming a taxi driver for 10 years + if your house doesn’t have safe pavement access or an all hours bus route to their secondary, friends houses and activities). 

CM