chuckmum6 Posted July 23, 2011 Share Posted July 23, 2011 We need to move closer to the school we teach in and our children go to school in, but it is proving very hard to find the right place. I can find the right house, but it lacks enough land for the chickens, or I find the ideal land but the house is too small. I do love where I live now but our commute to Long Eaton where the schools are is 45 min and draining. Any ideas and how did you find the perfect place, we still want a rural village, I'm not a towny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted July 23, 2011 Share Posted July 23, 2011 You get more for your money in Long Eaton at the moment so good luck. YS bought a house last year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuckmum6 Posted July 23, 2011 Author Share Posted July 23, 2011 I really am looking for a village, Long Eaton is cheaper, but it's not for me. I am looking at villages in between Derby and Nottingham, we nearly bought a place in Sutton Bonington, but someone had got there first! We do have a year to find somewhere, but have been looking for nearly 12 months off and on, the crunch comes when ES has Saturday school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted July 23, 2011 Share Posted July 23, 2011 You could do worse than target the village you want to move to - drive around, check out the houses you like and post letters through the door! You never know, it may make up someones mind for them if they are debating whether or not to sell. Also check regularly on Right Move for houses in the right place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fluffy chick Posted July 23, 2011 Share Posted July 23, 2011 We did that with our house. I fell in love with it and put a note through the door asking to contact us if she was interested in selling, and she did (weeks down the line ) but it worked! A bit cheeky and we probably ended up paying more than we needed to because she knew we loved it. Having said that I knew it was my forever house, I'd seen it 3 years before and cried when I lost out so maybe it was meant to be So yes defo put some notes thru doors! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted July 23, 2011 Share Posted July 23, 2011 A friend of mine did it - she always wanted to live on a certain road, so put leaflets through the doors. 1 year later she was in her dream home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuckmum6 Posted July 23, 2011 Author Share Posted July 23, 2011 That sounds like a good idea, I constantly check rightmove, I do love my house so I am fussy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowberry Posted July 24, 2011 Share Posted July 24, 2011 Rightmove is brilliant & although it's controversial, 'streetview' is amazing for all those bits that the estate agents managed to leave out in their photographs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuckmum6 Posted July 24, 2011 Author Share Posted July 24, 2011 Rightmove is brilliant & although it's controversial, 'streetview' is amazing for all those bits that the estate agents managed to leave out in their photographs I agree I have ruled out many because they are next to a s"Ooops, word censored!"e yard, factory etc, facts that are left out of the photos and details, the street view has saved me time and fuel, as I haven't bothered looking at the property after viewing the satellite image. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted July 24, 2011 Share Posted July 24, 2011 When we moved just under 3 years ago we decided that we would compromise on the house for a big garden and a good location Once we got past the house hang-ups we were fine I drove miles around different counties finding the right house for us and viewed well over one hundred from the outside only over a period of three months. Streetview discounted a lot as you say but it was important that I got a feel for the right environment. We only viewed the inside of about eight houses but I knew our house was right before I even set foot in it as I had visited the area at least three times on different days and at different times and knew that the area was right for us Our house has the smallest bathroom that I have ever seen (made out of the airing cupboard!) and a small spare room but we reasoned those were the two rooms we would spend the least time in so could easily compromise on, the rest of the house is small and unremarkable and the outside of it is horrid, its an end terrace which I didnt want but is nicely set next to a playing field so we have green views on three sides The outside blows us away everytime we step foot out of the door though, anyone that has ever visited me would agree that the spot is just lovely We could have got a 4 bed detatched on the other side of the county but my mum always says buy the worst house in the best location not the best house in a bad location Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gongladosh Posted July 24, 2011 Share Posted July 24, 2011 Rightmove is brilliant & although it's controversial, 'streetview' is amazing for all those bits that the estate agents managed to leave out in their photographs Indeed - that's how I've looked for houses in the past. Nothing beats a drive around though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyhunnypie Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 We decided how many miles we wanted to live from Aberystwyth & used a compass to plot a circle on a map ( to scale). It was very Kirsty & Phil. We did look at others outside the circle. Every house has snags. You have to choose if you want much work or not. We eventually went for the one with the least snags & was in the best location for us! Access was very important to us too, as some properties had tiny tracks to get to the properties! Good luck. Emma.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fluffy chick Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 Redwing, we were similar. We sold a detached 4 bed 2 bathroom house and bought our current house (3 bed semi with 1 bathroom) it cost us 60k to upgrade to here too! But we are in my 200yr old stone cottage on top of a hill over looking the wolds. I love it. Most people said I was mad but they soon shut up when you come into my lounge and see the views for miles around Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyhunnypie Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 Redwing, you have hit the nail on the head with what your mum says! We originally thought we were going to find a Welsh farmhouse with 4 frontal windows, a door & 2 chimneys. Like you'd draw when you are 5. When we looked at the farmhouses - they were in bad state of repair - some not even liveable & some very tiny, even for 2 people to live in. We found our bungalow ( never thought of a bungalow, but sensible being as we won't ever move again) with a great amount of land, village location, on a bus route, enough amenities in the village, spacious rooms etc. O.K it is a bit dated & needs the rendering painting & a new kitchen, but generally it was perfect & a total clean blank canvas inside! Sometimes you have to think outside what you think you want...a bungalow is the total opposite to a farmhouse, but with 12 acres - I'm not grumbling..I'm in heaven! We drove past loads, had details on loads..sorted into files. We even had a scoring system! Good luck - it's not an easy task house hunting, but rewarding when you find ' the one'. Emma.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minty_76 Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 Good luck with your search Chuckmum. My friend used to live in Long Eaton and its not for me either! I'm not much help over that side of Nottingham but there are some gorgeous villages around Bingham (biased!). We just had a few drives around when we moved here then you get a feel for places. Have you thought of places like Wollaton? It has some lovely houses but it may be too close to Nottingham? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuckmum6 Posted July 26, 2011 Author Share Posted July 26, 2011 I'm not much help over that side of Nottingham but there are some gorgeous villages around Bingham (biased!). We just had a few drives around when we moved here then you get a feel for places. Have you thought of places like Wollaton? It has some lovely houses but it may be too close to Nottingham? Yes, I agree there are some lovely villages into the vale of Belvior, we live in one just up the road from Bingham! This is part of the problem, we have a great location in our village right on the village green, with views over the hills. We have extended our house as our family grew and it was my gran's house, so lots of memories. If we don't find anything, then we will just put up with our long journey to Long Eaton! I will keep an eye out for the 'perfect' (or as close to perfect) place just in case, it needs to be a village rather than a suburb so probably not Wollaton. I do agree with the advice re location, worst in the best, rather than best in the worst! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sammiboo Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 I was lucky(ish) It didnt take long for us to find our house. But we did spend time on Rightmove and did lots of lots of 'random' drives. We like rural and used to live in the market town of Oswestry. We didnt like living in town - yes useful at times but we wanted out. We now live in a very rural welsh village and love it. There is nothing wrong with being fussy - its going to be your home but as others said i think driving out and looking around is the best thing to do Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
