Move to Isle of Wight, good idea or not?

**Twinkle**_3

Hi all, sorry if this isn't quite the right place to post this .
My partner and I are kind of dabbling with the idea of moving to the Isle of Wight,from Portsmouth area, but as we have only ever visited for short hols, we don't know what it would be like living there. I have found a house for sale,( can't remeber where now, but the gumphf said close to commuter links to mainland , is that Rhyde, maybe?). Our 4 kids age between 4 months to 17 years, what are the schools and colleges like?
Also we were wondering if there would be much work for us, we run a commercial/domestic landscaping business, if not, we would obviously have to allow for regular commuting within our considerations.
Any comments form people living or having lived there would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance

Canucklehead

Good morning: We lived on the IOW for 5 years and we don't have many fond memories...a lovely place to visit but I wouldn't want to live there again. Ferry travel is v. expensive even with the Islanders' discounted fares, the job market is limited and educational services substandard (I taught at an IOW secondary school:eek: ). We found setting up our business difficult...most of our trade was from grockles i.e. mainlanders with second homes. Check out the Isle of Wight County Press for info.

Horses for courses.

HTH

Canucklehead

5dogs

In answer to the school question...

I now teach my DD at home as the other kids treated her as an outsider for not being an 'islander' .:rolleyes:
The standard of education is poor, so I'd consider your options TBH.

matimage

I grew up on the IOW and loved it. Until I hit 17. Then I was bored silly, there is nothing to do after that age! I moved over to the mainland and never looked back. That bit of water makes so much difference, I can drive to London, Wales, Cornwall etc and pretty much just go on impulse. That ferry adds time and a lot of money and planning to each trip.
The IOW is a beautiful place but it gets very tired very quickly IMO.

silvercar

I'd be very wary of moving a 17 year old. Detaching them from their friends and in the middle of their 6th form courses may upset a tennager big time.

davetrousers

When you say Portsmouth area, where are you now?

The Portsmouth area has some really nice areas and some real grotty areas!

**Twinkle**_3

Thanks Guy's for all your responses;
Canucklehead thnks for advice on schooling & business, obviously both major concerns to us.:eek:
5 dogs, what a difficult time that must have been for your daughter, but good on you for taking control :T
Thanks also matimage & silvercar, I know teen's at that age would usually be involved in a hectic social life, lots of friends etc, but not mine... she never goes out socially and rarely talks about people at college but if she wanted to, she could probably stay at her grandparents during the week and come home w/ends.
But, having read through your comments i think perhaps staying on the mainland is better for all of us. Thanks again everyone :beer:

**Twinkle**_3

Hi davetrousers,
I actually live across the water from Portsmouth, Gosport..which also has nice and grotty areas

SouthCoast

I seem to recall reading that on a pound per mile basis, the ferry crossing was the most expensive in the world.

oldMcDonald

All my and DH family live over on the island, and it is somewhere I have my house-buying beady little eyes on, depending on the percentage they fall by.

It is slightly more expensive to live there (ferry costs often included in goods from the mainland) and many jobs are based on the tourist trade - other than that it is taking the ferry to Portsmouth or Southampton to work on the mainland. Regular commuting would work out very expensive.

Would I buy there if it wasn't for friends and family? Probably not. I think it is probably a lovely place to holiday or retire to, but for younger people there is little to keep them there.

From what I am told, and as said by previous posters, the schools are not that great - however, I also home educate so to me that is not a problem.

I live in the area you do now, and I agree there are some *grotty* areas, but there also some that are not too bad. A house in Gosport is amongst the cheapest on the south coast (and one could argue that it is with good reason - try getting in/out at rush hour!), and for the price of buying on the Island plus ferry commuting you could get a bigger home in a nicer area in the Gosport / Portsmouth / and possibly Fareham area.

Have you looked into how much call there is for your business over there, and if adding in the cost of ferry travel to the mainland would put you at a disadvantage with your business quotes?

Neillgb

**Twinkle** wrote: »

Hi all, sorry if this isn't quite the right place to post this .
My partner and I are kind of dabbling with the idea of moving to the Isle of Wight,from Portsmouth area, but as we have only ever visited for short hols, we don't know what it would be like living there. I have found a house for sale,( can't remeber where now, but the gumphf said close to commuter links to mainland , is that Rhyde, maybe?). Our 4 kids age between 4 months to 17 years, what are the schools and colleges like?
Also we were wondering if there would be much work for us, we run a commercial/domestic landscaping business, if not, we would obviously have to allow for regular commuting within our considerations.
Any comments form people living or having lived there would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance

A bit off thread but to be frank the way things are going in this country I have to say that IOW just ain't far enough. Consider Australia or perhaps Canada with the other 2M that have seen the light!!!