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Country life vs city life

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6 Jan 2008
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607
I'm at the stage where I'm moving out from my parents, only problem is I can't decide where to. I currently live in Enfield on the border with London, Hertfordshire and Essex. I work in Wembley (NW London) and the majority of my colleagues live in Watford. The problem with the area I live in at the moment is that it is impossible to get public transport to work (1.5 hours as opposed to 30 mins driving) and luckily my employer covers commuting costs but only for public transport, so I'm not currently benefitting from this.

There are two places that I have been looking to move, Watford and Leighton Buzzard. LB is 20 minutes further on the train or 20 minutes further drive up the M1.

Watford good points: Good train link to work, close to the city, closer to friends from home, nightlife.
Watford bad points: More expensive, more chavs and rudeboys, less countryside.

LB good points: Good train link to work, nicer area with countryside, less chavs and rudeboys, less expensive.
LB bad points: 20 minutes further from work, further from friends, no nightlife.

The thing with the nightlife is that there is nightlife for LB in nearby Milton Keynes (£10 cab ride away), but not as easily accessable as if I lived in Watford.

Given that I am a sociable, 23 year old, single male, is living in LB really good for me or not? The thing that is drawing me there is that I can afford a 2 bedroom house with a garden and driveway in an area much less densely populated rather than a 1 bedroom flat in a complex with high population density. Having lived in North London all my life I'm getting fed up with people in London, seeing cars vandalised and worrying about mine and just general ****holes everywhere.

Another thing that is drawing me to LB is that I went to university in Essex where I enjoyed being out of the city and seeing how much better life is away from all the scumbags in the suburbs of the city.

So, what would you do? Take the bigger house in the nicer area further from the city and further from friends or take the smaller flat in the worse area closer to the city and closer to friends and nightlife?

Another worry is that when the housing market eventually picks up that there would be more profit made on a property bought now for equal value in Watford as prices would raise more rapidly(?).

Any thoughts or should I just shut up? What would you do?
 
I believe everyone should live in the city for at least the first 5-8 years of their working life and as they start to wind down, country life really starts to look and feel amazing. :)
 
I always wanted to live in a city, lived in a village near York for most of my life and thought it would be crap compared to a city, now I moved to Manchester, literally almost in the city center and now I know I prefer country, much better, especially for cycling :cool:
 
The only real disadvantage I have in living 'out of town' is that we are 10-15mins drive from the nearest Chinese, Indian and Pizza place. So if we get a carry-out we have a bit of a drive to get it home.

Apart from that - there is nothing that would make me or my family live closer to the heart of a city, town, etc. There's way too many bad points about most UK town centres - including noise, pollution and chavs - and usually a slightly increased cost.

Then again, I am over 35 - at 23 I loved the rush, hassle, pressure of city life.
 
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Town centres YUK...
Chavs, **** heads, loud music, lots of cars...

Naa,

I'll stick with the countryside with cows and sheep for neighbours thanks..
Mates are only a short car drive away are they not?
 
I'd go with Watford if I were you.

If you crave nightlife, then it makes more sense to live somewhere that has some going on. Since you own a car, Watford really isn't far from more rural areas. I know because I live in a town nearby.
 
Town centres YUK...
Chavs, **** heads, loud music, lots of cars...

Naa,

I'll stick with the countryside with cows and sheep for neighbours thanks..
Mates are only a short car drive away are they not?

My friends are in North London and Essex so about 45mins drive away.
 
I'd go with Watford if I were you.

If you crave nightlife, then it makes more sense to live somewhere that has some going on. Since you own a car, Watford really isn't far from more rural areas. I know because I live in a town nearby.

The problem is though is that it's still a very busy place and I would have no reason to venture further out into the quiet areas.
 
Personally I prefer living in a city, although I can just about bear where I live now as it's only a short train journey to London.

It depends what type of person you are, how sociable etc.
 
Well I work in the City and live in the country. If I were young and single I'd live in London but being 41 I now prefer trees, fields and silence.
 
Would you really want to live on a terraced street in a house converted into two 1 bedroom flats with on street parking only? I have a mercedes that I am quite anal about and parking is an issue for me. Where I live now with my parents I am quite lucky in that it is a large 5 bedroom house for just me, mum and dad and we have a large drive and gardens, worried about living in such a small place!
 
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I always wanted to live in a city, lived in a village near York for most of my life and thought it would be crap compared to a city, now I moved to Manchester, literally almost in the city center and now I know I prefer country, much better, especially for cycling :cool:

OMG which village?
 
Watford - it has its pros and cons. If you're after the social life, or rather underage chavvy girls trying to get into clubs, then yeh it's got it and the student night on mondays is pretty good. However it's scummy and I was glad to get away from there and move down here for uni (despite missing it at heart!)
Can't comment n LB as I don't know it that well.
Watford does have the advantage of the Met line and main line at Watford Junction so there's plenty of travel links (as well as buses in the town centre etc)
 
I always wanted to live in a city, lived in a village near York for most of my life and thought it would be crap compared to a city, now I moved to Manchester, literally almost in the city center and now I know I prefer country, much better, especially for cycling :cool:
Where about in the city centre?
 
I would choose country within easy reach of town/city. A few years ago it would have been the other way around
 
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