Closer to town and semi detached or outskirts and detached

DiscoDave

DiscoDave

DiscoDave

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6 Jun 2005
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Cambridge
Ah that old chestnut - property vs location.

I'm currently in a 1 bedroom flat I bought but now feel the need to leave the flat aka "pad" and find a home.

I've received and accepted an offer and ready to move on. I have my finances sorted and know how much I can realistically afford from an upgrade. My budget allows me to look at properties in two categories-

2/3 bed Terraced/Semi detached near my local towns (Cambridge/Huntingdon)
3/3.5 bed Detached in the outskirts (25mins from Huntingdon/40mins from Cambridge)

I currently work in London but after my probation period (next month) I'll be working 4 days out of 5 at home. So part of my criteria includes having a room I can turn into a office.

I've had an eventful few years at my flat when it comes to neighbour, he used to grow weed, had a few rough types burst into his flat demanding money, lots of noise, music etc. Normally I wouldn't consider moving further afield but after all this over the past few years the idea of getting a detached place is looking very appealing, even if it sacrifices location a bit.

I'm 27 so I feel a little...weird about considering moving to a quiet village on the outskirts but as friends my age are beginning to settle down it may not be such a bad idea.

So, has anyone been in the same situation as this? Any advice?

Thanks,
 
As long as I could easily get home after a night out I would choose the detached house every time, especially if I was working from home because I would want the peace.

Could you try renting a place in that area for a couple of months just to see if you get on with it before making the plunge?
 
garak112 said:
As long as I could easily get home after a night out I would choose the detached house every time, especially if I was working from home because I would want the peace.

Could you try renting a place in that area for a couple of months just to see if you get on with it before making the plunge?
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If I'm drinking It's too far to get back to after a night out in Cambridge, but then again properties in Cambridge are way too expensive. In those situations I'd probably crash round a friends house.

I could rent there for a while, but properties come up quite rarely in that area. I know the place quite well, my brother lives there and my parents lived there before I was born.
 
My house is a 3 minute walk from a direct line into London it's a semi on a nice estate in a cul de sac the only detached property for the same money is on or near the council estate and a 20 minute walk or drive and park.

For me semi all the way for convenience but if I worked from home I'd move much further out.
 
Would go further out, more space better house.
Once people start settling down everyone starts moving about so requires traveling to each others houses anyway, going out in town becomes left often and you generally earn more so can afford the taxi once in a while.
 
Detached in the outskirts any day if you don't need to commute daily. Bigger house, more room, less annoying neighbours. Way way better.

Why live in a more urban area near more people than you have to for work reasons? People suck man.

If you're going out drinking in cambridge just stump up £20 for a taxi.
 
Hmm,

This is quite odd, round here the prices in the urban/town areas are cheaper than the little "sought after" quiet village locations, by a hefty margin as well.
 
Glaucus said:
Would go further out, more space better house.
Once people start settling down everyone starts moving about so requires traveling to each others houses anyway, going out in town becomes left often and you generally earn more so can afford the taxi once in a while.
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This.

My place currently is a 2 bed semi a 10 min walk form the centre of town. Yes it is very handy when going into town, especially as that's where I work. But, tbh I'd rather have to cycle a bit further and have a detached a bit more on the outskirts, and my neighbours make as much noise a dormouse. If I had your experiences with loud neighbours then I would probably be more willing to move further out.
 
If you're working from home a lot then it sounds like the place further out would suit (as long as you can get decent broadband there!).

Personally, I'd rather be near pubs/shops/restaurants than have an extra bedroom. That doesn't seem like something you're too fussed about though!
 
All depending on your life style,i personally like out of town,nice and quiet,i have a good transport system in ipswich so if i feel the need to go into town its quite easy.
 
schizo said:
All depending on your life style,i personally like out of town,nice and quiet,i have a good transport system in ipswich so if i feel the need to go into town its quite easy.
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Well I've lived in all sorts, busy city at uni, flat in Scarborough (placement year) and outskirts of town. Each have their own advantages. My main reason to stay nearer to town (especially Cambridge) is because my friends live around Cambridge, so it makes sense for us all to meet there.

But then again, I only get to see my mates once a week or so nowadays, mainly because people settling down, focusing on work etc. So I wonder if it's worth going terraced/semi with 2 bedrooms for what will be an infrequent visit into town. On big nights out I could always crash at a friends place or travelodge. Alternatively I can get on the guided bus into Cambridge if I wanted to.
 
I think you need to sit down and have a good think,it's a big step to move into a bigger property and be it in or out or town the benefits are both different.

As you said,you only see your friends once a week and as time goes on it will be 2 weeks,out of town is still my place to be and been living out of town for 5 years it's the best choice i made.
 
schizo said:
I think you need to sit down and have a good think,it's a big step to move into a bigger property and be it in or out or town the benefits are both different.

As you said,you only see your friends once a week and as time goes on it will be 2 weeks,out of town is still my place to be and been living out of town for 5 years it's the best choice i made.
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May I ask just how far out of town you are? Do you feel isolated by being away from all "the action"?
 
I'm about 4 to 5 miles out,I'm a lot older than you and have had my time in towns and what not,i like a quieter life now and don't feel isolated at all,i lived in London for 2 years on the outskirts and hated that as well and that was miles away from the center of London.

All depends of your social life and how much solitude you want from living outside of the town.Living out of town does not mean peace and quiet but it is a lot quieter than in town.
 
Unless you have a particular need/desire to be in town I would look at the detatched option. I would consider however what would happen if you changed jobs i.e. how easy would it be to find another job in your industry within easy commuting distance?

Another consideration is are you single? If you are then maybe that might dissuade me, if you have a partner you are/would consider living with then a proper house in the sticks sounds the way to go.

When we were 28 we moved out of an urban area in a fairly big city (like you with annoying neighbours in flats) into a quiet estate in a small town and it was a great move in general. I've often said I wouldn't want to live here if I was single (there is nothing to do here, one pub etc) but it's a nice safe environment to bring up our son.

As for the whole seeing friends etc ironically we probably see more of our friends since moving away not least because we have somewhere nice for people to come and visit.
 
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