Steppenpig Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 This is probably all a bit vague, but say you'd been living abroad for a few years and planned to return to the uk, but you didn't have any particular links to any particular areas, how would you go about deciding where to settle? For some reason I find this much trickier when thinking about the UK, than about other countries. I think I'd like to spend a few weeks staying a few days here and there in the major cities, probably in Premier Inns, have a look round the town centres, maybe visit a few tourist attractions. I suppose I could produce a check list of things I like: libraries, swimming pools, cycling/skating facilities, cheap housing, good transport links etc, but I expect it would really come down to gut feeling or even hazard eventually. Anyone got any experiences to share? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bearwithasorehead Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 depends on whether you'd want to buy a house there later. In the SE that's not really possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Democorruptcy Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 You will have to spin that globe again and put your finger somewhere else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Masked Tulip Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 How about New England? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longtomsilver2 Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 You will have to spin that globe again and put your finger somewhere else. Absolutely. However if you decide to come home consider any of the villages between Tamworth and Lichfield. Property prices are reasonable, Commutable to many places of well paid work (brum, notts and Sheffield to think of a few), rolling accessible countryside nearby (national forest/peaks), outstanding primary schools, *beautiful women... in short paradise. Only thing we are missing is a beach. *disclaimer:subjective Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ologhai Jones Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 This is an interesting question for me even though I'm living in the UK. Unlike a lot of people, my work isn't especially associated with the area in which I live, and hasn't been for quite a few years. In fact, the town I live in currently is just the location of my last PAYE employer. Other than through familiarity, I'm not especially tied to the area, and it's caused me to wonder from time to time, when I come to buy a house (which still seems to me to be a fairly likely eventuality) whether the choice of location would be a carte blanche. Part of the difficulty would be finding out if anywhere else in the UK would actually be better than where I am now. Visiting somewhere for a few days doesn't feel like it would be anything like a thorough enough way to find out what other places would be like to live in. In my case, I'll probably take the least-resistance route and stay more or less where I am... but the OP's question interests me nonetheless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trampa501 Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 To the OP - a few suggestions. Try close to the central belt of Scotland - close to big centres like Glasgow and Edinburgh, but also great scenery and coastlines. Drawback is the climate - not a lot better in Yorkshire and lancs, but again close to major conurbations. A bit further south and yes Staffs, or Derbys or Lincs can give you both access to vibrant cities as well as countryside... Of course you can go further south, and places like the south west have fantastic scenery, but then the cost of living becomes higher... Thinking about it, yes there are plenty of beautiful areas in the UK. Shame it's all become prohibitively expensive to earn one's living in a honest way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steppenpig Posted August 23, 2014 Author Share Posted August 23, 2014 I think for most people it's probably decided primarily by their employment. After that, to be near family, friends, childhood hometown, university town, fantasy holiday destination remembered from childhood, somewhere hipster (Brighton, Cornwall, maybe Bristol) or with a similar draw, get a gig on Escape to the Country... You will have to spin that globe again and put your finger somewhere else. I know, it's embarrassing. And for all the usual embarrassing reasons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steppenpig Posted August 23, 2014 Author Share Posted August 23, 2014 Turns out there is already a similar recent thread over in the South East forum http://www.housepricecrash.co.uk/forum/index.php?/topic/200394-take-the-money-and-run-but-to-where-in-britain/#entry1102569046 I have some friends whose kids have flown the nest and are considering a change in pace of life. They have a fairly decent amount of equity in their house in the South East circa £500k and are in the early stages of considering selling up, and looking to buy a house outright for £250k, leaving the other half to be invested to provide an income drawdown for 20 years until they are pensioners and some modest work pensions kick in. They have mentioned Lincolnshire as a possible destination for no other reason than they can see how far their money stretches there. It got me wondering how many HPC'ers have taken the money and ran or are considering doing it and what area of Britain could provide the best balance of climate, access to healthcare, shopping and entertainment, possible p/t work, scenery etc. Can £250k provide you with £250 a week drawdown index linked for 20 years? With no mortgage and I suppose some chicks and veg patch etc is this enough to live modestly or will p/t work be necessary? Any thoughts, comments, experiences to share welcome..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowflux Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 Absolutely. However if you decide to come home consider any of the villages between Tamworth and Lichfield. Property prices are reasonable, Commutable to many places of well paid work (brum, notts and Sheffield to think of a few), rolling accessible countryside nearby (national forest/peaks), outstanding primary schools, *beautiful women... in short paradise. Only thing we are missing is a beach. *disclaimer:subjective Very subjective indeed Tamworth is named obesity capital of Britain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Hovis Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 For cheapish houses and a nice place in a nice area I like Weymouth. Slightly rough around the edges and an absence of decent jobs are the downsides. I don't live there but am a regular visitor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrPin Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 For cheapish houses and a nice place in a nice area I like Weymouth. Slightly rough around the edges and an absence of decent jobs are the downsides. I don't live there but am a regular visitor. Is that a "knocking shop" Frank? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winkie Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 Found this....make of it what you will.....for entertainment purposes only. http://bestplaces-prod.elasticbeanstalk.com/#_intro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Hovis Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 Is that a "knocking shop" Frank? I'm sure there is one there, so it qualifies as an acceptable place to live on the Pin-ometer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustYield Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 I went through this exercise last year and came up with Cheltenham, for what it's worth. (I had a bias to schools, culture and countryside.) I'm sure it has its negative points, but relatively I thought it stacked up well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Hovis Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 I went through this exercise last year and came up with Cheltenham, for what it's worth. (I had a bias to schools, culture and countryside.) I'm sure it has its negative points, but relatively I thought it stacked up well. Decent call and vast numbers of office jobs in the area. The only real downside for me (I lived up there for several years) is no sea / beaches. For some people that won't be an issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrPin Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 Decent call and vast numbers of office jobs in the area. The only real downside for me (I lived up there for several years) is no sea / beaches. For some people that won't be an issue. I'm a crusty old sea dog Frank! I drove a wooden desk for the Royal Navy for a few years, but never a whiff of fish! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bearwithasorehead Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 I considered Cheltenham but someone who was from there said that it was horribly snobbish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrPin Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 I considered Cheltenham but someone who was from there said that it was horribly snobbish. Indeed! This is the town that didn't vote for their Tory candidate for once, because he was black, so they voted Liberal instead! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The XYY Man Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 Indeed! This is the town that didn't vote for their Tory candidate for once, because he was black, so they voted Liberal instead! Aye, avoid them Cheltenham snobs and consider relocating to the cosmopolitan metropolis that is British West Hartlepool. We voted in a monkey for mayor in 2002, and you all know what used to happen to them simian bastads around here in days of yore... http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/1965569.stm http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monkey_hanger XYY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrPin Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 Aye, avoid them Cheltenham snobs and consider relocating to the cosmopolitan metropolis that is British West Hartlepool. We voted in a monkey for mayor in 2002, and you all know what used to happen to them simian bastads around here in days of yore... http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/1965569.stm http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monkey_hanger XYY It's shit up North! Why not come down West, and head the 50kg cheese into a pile of shit! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustYield Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 I considered Cheltenham but someone who was from there said that it was horribly snobbish. I've never even been to Cheltenham. On paper, from a distance, it looks like one of the best corners of England with a lot going for it. Snobbish is a subjective word. It could mean that they are trying to maintain standards and for example, don't want men walking through the streets without a shirt on. Or it could mean they judge you because you live on the wrong side of the tracks. It could mean almost anything! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Hovis Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 I've never even been to Cheltenham. On paper, from a distance, it looks like one of the best corners of England with a lot going for it. Snobbish is a subjective word. It could mean that they are trying to maintain standards and for example, don't want men walking through the streets without a shirt on. Or it could mean they judge you because you live on the wrong side of the tracks. It could mean almost anything! And it also assumes that there is a single Cheltenham, I worked with one small quiet lad who moved from 'nam to the smaller quieter Cirencester because he never quite felt safe there. There's a lot of crime and one big rough council estate. It's not Stockwell or anything and I'd happily live there but IME it's a regular town with a very nice centre, next door is Gloucester, a regular city with a not very nice centre. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bearwithasorehead Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 I've never even been to Cheltenham. On paper, from a distance, it looks like one of the best corners of England with a lot going for it. Snobbish is a subjective word. It could mean that they are trying to maintain standards and for example, don't want men walking through the streets without a shirt on. Or it could mean they judge you because you live on the wrong side of the tracks. It could mean almost anything! Yeah, I hear you. I didn't rule it out for the reasons you state. It would be a good commute for me and more choice of better houses than where I live at the moment. However, my mate said that the decent parts were over gentified. Whatever that means. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bearwithasorehead Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 And it also assumes that there is a single Cheltenham, I worked with one small quiet lad who moved from 'nam to the smaller quieter Cirencester because he never quite felt safe there. There's a lot of crime and one big rough council estate. It's not Stockwell or anything and I'd happily live there but IME it's a regular town with a very nice centre, next door is Gloucester, a regular city with a not very nice centre. I dunno. I can't get over the serial killer associations of Gloucester. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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