Please help me buy a home (Update on page 4)

saucer

I would definitely move to somewhere that was more affordable. We live in South East and like you I’m in the NHS. That said I’m a bit older than you and we bought before stupid prices. I couldn’t imagine paying rent if there was an option to buy.

fatbelly

Do your research on what size mortgage you could get.

Check your credit files and get them (and keep them) clean

Use your holidays and minibreaks to explore other areas to find out where the whole family feels comfortable.

Generations of my family have moved in a southwest direction. We' ll probably end up on the Isles of Scilly

RAS

Hull is a bit of a special case, as there has been flooding in the recent past and it's off the main North/South line, although there some direct trains taking 2.5 hours in to London.

There are loads of houses in that price range around the Midlands and going north, although you do need to be able to differentiate between neighbourhoods. A normal Victorian terrace will cost twice as much in some areas rather then others, and half as much again in a problem area. Personally, I'd avoid the new builds out of town with poor services, and years of snagging.

Again, check where it floods, check for mining subsidence and avoid run down towns where you OH would struggle to even get a supermarket job. Maybe look at places within easy travel time of a train station with good connections to London if junior would have to go there once a month.
 
Look on Rightmove, book stayactions in different areas, check out local FB groups and just ask. 

tealady

Near where I live (Midlands) is Walsall. It has good train and bus links to Wolverhampton and Birmingham. In Walsall town centre is ASDA, Aldi, Co -op, Lidl, Morrisons and TESCO. All of which are within walking distance of each other.
There are several hospitals in the area so between the two of you you should be able to find work.
From Birmingham you can easily reach some beautiful countryside in the Cotswolds and the Peak District. Only the sea is quite a distance.
Personally I love living here, yes there are problems, you just need to research areas.
Good luck whatever you decide.

[Deleted User]

Jami74 said:

Thanks @Mutton_Geoff
Maybe I'm better off paying rent for the rest of my life rather than buying an affordable home in Hull.

That's defeatist, don't start thinking like that or you'll find it hard to shake it off.
You've had sound advice -  think this through and you'll open up your mind to all the possibilities that lie ahead.

MultiFuelBurner

Jami74 said:

Thanks for your comments. I don't have a dream job, I work for money, and I'd apply for the same band job within the NHS so pay would be the same. Partner works in a supermarket, I imagine even up north they still have to pay minimum wage? None of us have many real life friends outside of work and would make friends with new colleagues. Neither offspring have strong ties, one works from home with monthly visits to the office and the other is learning online. 

I only looked at Hull because there were jobs in the hospital I could apply for.

I am not sure whether people in the North should be offended that you think there is a divide and they might not get the minimum wage that the South does.

On that one sentence the North may not be the place for you.

Anyway to answer yes minimum wage is the same in Hull and some would say the people are nicer.

Anyway moving on from that write your self a wants list

Is it open spaces on your doorstep
Large garden
Big house
Cul de sac for neighbours
Etc etc etc

400ixl

Don't be put off by people posting trash videos. You can find one for any city / large town in the UK.

Hull has bad areas, and it has good areas, just like anywhere else. You could no doubt highlight some less desirable part of the area you live in.

As others have mentioned there are all sorts of places you could look. East Anglia is another region, Kings Lynn, Great Yarmouth would be two areas with affordable housing and major hospitals. Both have decent and rough areas as you would expect. Kings Lynn has a direct train into London.

Bigphil1474

We're looking at houses in a nice part of Leeds, and a good 3 bed semi is around £275,00. A few fixer uppers for much less. In the not so good but still okay areas, your are looking at £180-£220k, in the really nice areas your are looking nearer £300k. Hull is okay, a bit stuck out on its own, but people from Hull love it. Personally, I'd want somewhere more central for rail and road links, but each to their own.

Mutton_Geoff

400ixl said:

Don't be put off by people posting trash videos. You can find one for any city / large town in the UK.

Hull has bad areas, and it has good areas, just like anywhere else. You could no doubt highlight some less desirable part of the area you live in.

That's exactly the reason I posted the video, the producer bases his video on crime stats etc and points out areas to avoid. He's a little bit more balanced than Turdtowns!

https://www.youtube.com/@Turdtowns/videos

As always, do your homework before moving to a new area, my last 4 moves over almost years have been to areas that I knew nobody and had no recommendation for other than it was convenient for work and I did drive bys and stayed a few nights in local hotels to get a feel for the place before house hunting.

BungalowBel

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/135408515#/?channel=RES_BUY

Nice area of Wolverhampton.  12 miles to Birmingham, near motorway links, train station, good bus routes,  1 hour to Welsh borders,1.5 hours to Welsh coast, accessible to Cotswolds and Peak district.

Major hospitals at Wolverhampton, Birmingham, Telford (12 miles up the motorway) and Shrewsbury (just a bit further).