I know it's random for a sex chat forum, but the reason I'm asking on here is because I know you're all honest and I feel I can trust your opinions.
My wife, little girl and I are planning on moving. We live in Hounslow, and really do not want our little girl growing up here. (No offence to anyone who lives in the area). We have looked at different locations and are struggling with distance from family and house prices. We'd love to move closer to the coast, so have looked at Poole (a bit too far, but lovely), so looked closer at Andover and Eastleigh.
Any advice or opinions on these places, or recommendations of other areas would be greatly appreciated. We are looking to relocate for good, so it is a massive decision. Please help???!!!
Thank you in advance. Xxxx
By the way we have approx. £220,000-£250,000 to spend and would like a 3 bed house. It is possible but what areas are best and worst? Xxxx
FireMonkey wrote:
By the way we have approx. £220,000-£250,000 to spend and would like a 3 bed house. It is possible but what areas are best and worst? Xxxx
Hi Fire monkey, not sure you want to come this far but you will get what you are looking for in that price range in the English Riviera. Especially Paignton or Brixham the Schools are good too.
I'll take a look, however the mrs may not wanna go that far. Thank you Gentle Giant. X
Yep, too far!!
I'd love to, but I know she'll say it's too far. X
I used to live in Poole. I would say not brilliant for parking without paying and housing is expensive, but good if you like the sea and somewhere a bit different.
Eastleigh is where I went to college for a short time, I'd describe it as a small place which has the essentials and Southampton isn't far away.
Flaneur, as you've experienced Eastleigh , would It be somewhere that you'd live?
It's appealing due to it being nearer the coast but not too far from family. Also that it is a small
place, with hopefully good schools. As you say Southampton isn't too far away either.
Thank you
I didn't spend too many nights there and it's near an airport. So that would be a concern. I don't know how expensive the housing market is there, but other than that I'd happily live there. I don't know what your profession is or how well you'd find work there, but I don't have anything else to say against Eastleigh.
That's brilliant thanks.
I'm a fireman and will commute back and forth to west London. At present we live in the Heathrow flight path so that may not be an issue.
Thank you so much for your help, extremely appreciated. X
I don't live anywhere near the areas you're talking about so I can't help you in that aspect. But as for schools, you can look online and check out ofsted reports and see if the schools in the area are good. I would personally go for a school with 'outstanding' results. Make sure when you're checking this you also check their intake. You can usually find this in the school admissions section of the local councils website. It may be that you find an outstanding school but their intake is full and you can't get your child into the school. Usually they will tell you how many people have applied and how many people were accepted. This will give you a rough guide on if the school you're interested in will have places available. Usually outstanding schools will have a huge waiting list if there isn't many good schools in the area. I just thought I would let you know, because as a parent education is paramount to me, and I've done a lot of research into the best schools in my area.
Good luck with the move :)
Mrs McX, that's brilliant thank you. My wife is a teacher and we know about checking Ofsted. Problem we have at the moment is deciding on where to go.
Thank you for the advice though, didn't think of checking the in take of the schools. Every days a school day. X
Evening FIremonkey,
Firstly I just wanted to say good luck, we are doing a similar thing but we are coming back from France to the uk after spending 8 yrs here in France.
We spend lots of time talking about which is the best way to do things and in which order. We have found that it is better to rent a property first , so that you get a feel for an area before you commit to buying, this then gives you time to get a good feel for the different and surrounding areas. For me like MrsmcX schools are really important so I am being guided to areas that one have availability in schools along with their results from ofsted.
I have spoken to a few letting agents to get a feel for different areas etc and have found them to be very informative, but also maybe do a long weekend down their to see if there is a certain area that you like and then start from there.
If you even feel the need to chat find me on here and I am happy to pass on any further advise as I could write a book about our experiences. FF x x
French Fancy, thank you.
Sounds exactly like us at the moment, where do we go?, what are the schools like?, is it safe?, what's the housing like?, etc seems to be all I think about.
We thought about renting but that'll eat away at our deposit. Planning on a day trip to Andover and Eastleigh. Then if we like either we'll spend a couple of days there and keep visiting, until we're sure. Would like to try other places too, but where???
As you're well aware, it is such a massive decision, with huge impacts on not just our lives but also our families.
Thank you, for the offer to contact you if I need to, the feeling is mutual. Good luck!!!
Xxx
Hi fire monkey I can sympathise with your situation. My wife and I had agreed to emigrate to the states permanently once we were married but never did. I still regret not doing it.
I know proximity to your family and a support network is important but it's also important to be happy where you live. We have our family around us but long to live somewhere else. It's about weighing up the pros and cons.
Ron Burgandy, that's the big issue we have. We rally want to move away, but my wife finds it hard to move away from family. A support network is important, but it's finding the right balance.
Are you still keen to move?
Thank you
Ron Burgandy, that's the big issue we have. We rally want to move away, but my wife finds it hard to move away from family. A support network is important, but it's finding the right balance.
Are you still keen to move?
Thank you
Oh yeah, we lived in the Bay Area of California for a time and I'd move back in a heart beat. If I'm honest the fact that we didn't is a source of friction between us. It's just this nagging feeling of what might have been.
Tell me about it, we lived in Eastbourne (not quite California) for 7 years, and had to move back to west London due to circumstances.
I would move back to coast in a heart beat also. However the good lady wants to live closer. We have friends in Poole and Eastbourne, but family is important, but they can always come and visit.
I do understand about the friction thing, just trying to find a compromise. I do love the coast though, I feel do relaxed and at home there.
Then go for it. At least you'll be in the same country. Family can visit on weekends/ holidays. And what's the worst that can happen? It doesn't work out so you go back to hounslow.
I've had this conversation with my wife a million times. The only way I'll get to move is if we bring the in laws with us . I get the feeling it's the same for you.
Glad to be of help but I do know how hard it all is as we are just moving back so that we can get some support from our families but as Ron says at least we will be in the same country. We thought that France was no too far but when the children are sick and you just need someone to help you out for a day or so or something like a bit of support it was too far.
just them being their at the end of the phone etc is a help.
I do understand your thoughts on not renting for a small period of time but at least if you did this you would know for sure if it is the right discision and if it does not work you always have a house to go back too. I so wish we had done that as we are coming back from a brand new 4 bed house in France and all we can afford in the area we want to be in is a two bed flat!!!! No so great but then we always have to live with our des idioms whether they are good or not!!!!
Good luck to you and do shout if you feel the need or a hug x x FF