First time buyer - Which town/city would you recommend?
I'm 23, graduated 2 years ago. My girlfriend is graduating in September (shes doing a Masters). We'll be looking to move out after then. We have quite different criteria on what we're looking for so may need to compromise but i'll try explain what we'd like.
Me
I want to buy. So i'm looking for affordable, up and coming area where the house could go up in value. I don't want to live in a massive city like London or Birmingham. However I do want to be somewhere with a lot going on. Ideally somewhere with around 300,000-500,000 people living there (that usually means there's stuff to do). Ideally also in a convenient central location. I've recommended: Cardiff, Maidstone, Rochester, Chelmsford, Colchester, Norwich, Southampton, Crawley (and places around Gatwick airport). I haven't been to many northern towns/cities or midland towns/cities well enough to name if any are good. Would any suit both of us - e.g. Sheffield, Nottingham, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester to name a few?
Her
She wants to live in London or Bristol. Both are probably too expensive though. Plus I dislike London. I like Bristol but wouldn't make it my num 1 choice. She wants somewhere with bars etc while she's still young - she likes the idea of Clapham in London and places like that. She lives in South East London at the moment and doesn't want to stray too far from her friends.
We'd like very different things so will have to compromise. Where would you recommend?
Me
I want to buy. So i'm looking for affordable, up and coming area where the house could go up in value. I don't want to live in a massive city like London or Birmingham. However I do want to be somewhere with a lot going on. Ideally somewhere with around 300,000-500,000 people living there (that usually means there's stuff to do). Ideally also in a convenient central location. I've recommended: Cardiff, Maidstone, Rochester, Chelmsford, Colchester, Norwich, Southampton, Crawley (and places around Gatwick airport). I haven't been to many northern towns/cities or midland towns/cities well enough to name if any are good. Would any suit both of us - e.g. Sheffield, Nottingham, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester to name a few?
Her
She wants to live in London or Bristol. Both are probably too expensive though. Plus I dislike London. I like Bristol but wouldn't make it my num 1 choice. She wants somewhere with bars etc while she's still young - she likes the idea of Clapham in London and places like that. She lives in South East London at the moment and doesn't want to stray too far from her friends.
We'd like very different things so will have to compromise. Where would you recommend?
(edited 6 years ago)
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Nottingham? I don't live there but that sounds like the perfect compromise for you both.
Original post by MY_NAME_IS_JEFF1
Nottingham? I don't live there but that sounds like the perfect compromise for you both.
Why would you recommend Nottingham ?
Original post by dylantombides
Why would you recommend Nottingham ?
It’s a nice historic city central to many other areas in England.
Ps - I’m a West Ham fan and recognise your username
Bump
Are you going to marry her before you buy a house together?
Find jobs first. Then move.
That is the absolute last thing anyone has ever said about Norwich.
Original post by dylantombides
Ideally also in a convenient central location.
I've recommended: Norwich
I've recommended: Norwich
That is the absolute last thing anyone has ever said about Norwich.
(edited 6 years ago)
Original post by Drewski
Find jobs first. Then move.
That is the absolute last thing anyone has ever said about Norwich.
That is the absolute last thing anyone has ever said about Norwich.
I Mean being in a convenient place IN Norwich (I don't mean Norwich is a convenient place to live).
Original post by Haviland-Tuf
Are you going to marry her before you buy a house together?
Not sure tbh
Original post by dylantombides
I Mean being in a convenient place IN Norwich (I don't mean Norwich is a convenient place to live).
It's still a hole.
You've picked some bloody awful/boring places, frankly.
I would agree you should see where you can actually find jobs first and then move. I’m not sure I see the attraction of most of the places in your list, apart from that they are relatively close to London. But it’s going to take you almost as long to get to central London from Crawley as it will from, say, Leicester by train. Have you looked at cities like Sheffield, Nottingham, Manchester? The housing market in the latter in particular seems to be what you are looking for. Manchester has about half a million people and tons to do, although may be on the large side for you. There’s plenty of graduate jobs. Not sure whether it would be cheaper than Bristol or not.
Original post by dylantombides
I'm 23, graduated 2 years ago. My girlfriend is graduating in September (shes doing a Masters). We'll be looking to move out after then. We have quite different criteria on what we're looking for so may need to compromise but i'll try explain what we'd like.
Me
I want to buy. So i'm looking for affordable, up and coming area where the house could go up in value. I don't want to live in a massive city like London or Birmingham. However I do want to be somewhere with a lot going on. Ideally somewhere with around 300,000-500,000 people living there (that usually means there's stuff to do). Ideally also in a convenient central location. I've recommended: Cardiff, Maidstone, Rochester, Chelmsford, Colchester, Norwich, Southampton, Crawley (and places around Gatwick airport). I haven't been to many northern towns/cities or midland towns/cities well enough to name if any are good.
Her
She wants to live in London or Bristol. Both are probably too expensive though. Plus I dislike London. I like Bristol but wouldn't make it my num 1 choice. She wants somewhere with bars etc while she's still young - she likes the idea of Clapham in London and places like that. She lives in South East London at the moment and doesn't want to stray too far from her friends.
We'd like very different things so will have to compromise. Where would you recommend?
Me
I want to buy. So i'm looking for affordable, up and coming area where the house could go up in value. I don't want to live in a massive city like London or Birmingham. However I do want to be somewhere with a lot going on. Ideally somewhere with around 300,000-500,000 people living there (that usually means there's stuff to do). Ideally also in a convenient central location. I've recommended: Cardiff, Maidstone, Rochester, Chelmsford, Colchester, Norwich, Southampton, Crawley (and places around Gatwick airport). I haven't been to many northern towns/cities or midland towns/cities well enough to name if any are good.
Her
She wants to live in London or Bristol. Both are probably too expensive though. Plus I dislike London. I like Bristol but wouldn't make it my num 1 choice. She wants somewhere with bars etc while she's still young - she likes the idea of Clapham in London and places like that. She lives in South East London at the moment and doesn't want to stray too far from her friends.
We'd like very different things so will have to compromise. Where would you recommend?
OP, to be honest those are very dull places to reside in. The only two I would go for is crawley and Nottingham. Ive heard bath is good too.
Original post by MiszshorTea786
OP, to be honest those are very dull places to reside in. The only two I would go for is crawley and Nottingham. Ive heard bath is good too.
Which places in particular do you think are dull (no offence taken btw). Bath would be good but it's expensive and quite dull as well (somewhere like Cardiff/Southampton would have a lot more going on than Bath!)
Original post by dylantombides
Which places in particular do you think are dull
All of them except Cardiff.
Worcester is a great city. A small cathedral city with good links to Birmingham (26 Miles North) easily commutable by car and train if you work there or surrounding area, and good train links to London. There are good and plentiful shops, bars and clubs and within 2 miles of the city on either side you are in the countryside for walks, picnics etc. You have the great River Severn in the centre of town, rowing, rugby and football are popular and the history and culture surrounding Worcester is everywhere.
Being in the South West Midlands you are also handy for Wales and trips out there too. Cost of living in Worcester is relatively lower than other cities, and there are a choice of neighbourhoods to buy in for first time buyers. It’s also about 60miles from Bristol your girlfriends choice too.
Being in the South West Midlands you are also handy for Wales and trips out there too. Cost of living in Worcester is relatively lower than other cities, and there are a choice of neighbourhoods to buy in for first time buyers. It’s also about 60miles from Bristol your girlfriends choice too.
Original post by trou_noir
I would agree you should see where you can actually find jobs first and then move. I’m not sure I see the attraction of most of the places in your list, apart from that they are relatively close to London. But it’s going to take you almost as long to get to central London from Crawley as it will from, say, Leicester by train. Have you looked at cities like Sheffield, Nottingham, Manchester? The housing market in the latter in particular seems to be what you are looking for. Manchester has about half a million people and tons to do, although may be on the large side for you. There’s plenty of graduate jobs. Not sure whether it would be cheaper than Bristol or not.
Which places do you not like from My list (no offence taken btw)?
If im honest I don't know much about Northern/Midland towns & cities.
I tend to prefer liberal, social, conservative places. Not sure which Northern cities meet that description? I also prefer the warmer weather in the southern although I guess it's probably just a few degrees colder higher up.
Which towns & cities would suit me based on all the info I wrote (also what would suit her - hopefully the same place)?!
I'm sort of in quite a niche industry for work (travel & tourism) and probably want to remain there so think options may pick itself a bit in terms of jobs & location.
Original post by Drewski
All of them except Cardiff.
But is that just because they are smaller? Don't mean it in an offence way but you probably know less about those places than say Cardiff because Cardiff is a city while the others are towns which won't be in the news much.
I'd look further north, myself. Get jobs first tho ya nutters
Original post by dylantombides
But is that just because they are smaller? Don't mean it in an offence way but you probably know less about those places than say Cardiff because Cardiff is a city while the others are towns which won't be in the news much.
And because they're only towns they'll have very little going on and will generally be quite dull places to live.
Additionally, if you're planning on dragging your gf to them, she'll be mightily pissed off because none of them are even remotely similar to the places she wants to live.
If you're planning on living together, this is a conversation you should be having with her, not us. But I'll tell you this for nothing; she's going to hate all of your ideas.
Original post by dylantombides
I Iend to prefer liberal, social, conservative places.
Liberal, social and conservative?
If you think one place can be all of them I'm not sure you understand what they mean...
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