A place to call home: where next?

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S-H
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Re: Watton, Norfolk

Post by S-H »

Samba wrote: Thu Oct 10, 2019 5:01 pm OMG!
If I'd won last night, I'd be now making them an offer they couldn't refuse & you could've all come to my castle warming party.
I would have rejected the offer.
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Re: Watton, Norfolk

Post by Samba »

S-H wrote: Thu Oct 10, 2019 7:02 pm I would have rejected the offer.
Not my offer :wink:
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Re: Watton, Norfolk

Post by S-H »

:)
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Re: Watton, Norfolk

Post by -DL- »

Come over to The Garden of England Boss. There's plenty of rural over here, yet you're never too far away from a town with everything you need - and it's very cheap on the house prices compared to Essex if you look in the right places.

I don't think I'd ever go back to Essex now - I did go through a phase of wanting to get back there, but that's long gone.

If you're wanting really cheap, then dear God Wales is cheap. And full of Welsh. Myself and Mrs DL have been talking again to see if it's feasible for us to look in to making the move again. We looked about 7 - 8 years ago, but the time wasn't really right, but some of the houses we saw, and the money they were going for was mind-boggling. We're talking proper rural and 4 bedroom houses with out buildings for the price of a 2 bed flat around even these parts.

I swore I'd retire to The Valleys, but what with my health issues now, I'm being philosophical and pragmatic and accepting that I may never reach retirement age - so we're going for a look up there at the end of the month before we go and stay in a lodge her mate's Mum owns in Wiltshire for a few days.
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Up the Junction
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Re: Watton, Norfolk

Post by Up the Junction »

I've not really looked too much at Kent DL, as I assumed the bits you'd want to bring a family up in are no cheaper than their Essex equivalents.
-DL- wrote: Thu Oct 10, 2019 7:53 pmIf you're wanting really cheap, then dear God Wales is cheap.
Having done a bit of searching in Wales (as far north as the Beacons, anyway), if you're the very rural type you won't get much cheaper than this...

https://www.onthemarket.com/details/7407216/
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Re: Watton, Norfolk

Post by -DL- »

That price is just insane. 11 acre hill farm for the price of what, 4 bed in Basildon? OK, so it requires as what an agent would say 'some modernisation' but crikey.

This is nice too. One where initial looks can be deceiving. https://www.onthemarket.com/details/7745595/

I am now going to step away from that site....
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Re: Watton, Norfolk

Post by Shy Ted »

Up the Junction wrote: Thu Oct 10, 2019 8:04 pm I've not really looked too much at Kent DL, as I assumed the bits you'd want to bring a family up in are no cheaper than their Essex equivalents.


Having done a bit of searching in Wales (as far north as the Beacons, anyway), if you're the very rural type you won't get much cheaper than this...

https://www.onthemarket.com/details/7407216/
:idea:
Thats it Boss.

Take it, I will be your butler+chauffeur, misses will clean and do laundry and milk cows.
I can also plough a field (not straight though), and can serve kidneys for breakfast.
We will live in converted Timber Frame Barn with Steel Frame Lean-to or tent in field.

I love you.

Edit: I can't wait to get out of ****ing Wroxham.
:wink:
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Re: Watton, Norfolk

Post by Samba »

Up the Junction wrote: Thu Oct 10, 2019 8:04 pm Having done a bit of searching in Wales (as far north as the Beacons, anyway), if you're the very rural type you won't get much cheaper than this...
https://www.onthemarket.com/details/7407216/
Tbh, most of that still looks like a farm!
Certainly get vfm in Welsh Wales & very probably lovely dark skies, if you're into astronomy.
Thing to remember though (& I don't mean to sound like a wet blanket), it's very easy in your 30's & 40's when you're all fit & healthy, to imagine living in quite an isolated, rural idyll. Indeed, if you're currently living in a busy, crowded urban environment, you might even crave it & that's quite understandable.
Moving into your 50's & 60's, that's when parts of our bodies can start going a bit wrong. It can't be much fun if you're now at least 30, 40 or 50 miles away from the nearest hospital or medical centre. DL touched on this with his experience. What about when your kids (if any) leave home or one of you become disabled for some reason or then, god forbid, your partner died? I also know though, that we can't always live our lives dictated by just in case something might happen.
I realise that TOMoS & his family moved to quite an isolated location but then he has managed to get the air ambulance, on speed dial...
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Re: Watton, Norfolk

Post by Samba »

Shy Ted wrote: Thu Oct 10, 2019 8:49 pm :idea:
Thats it Boss.

Take it, I will be your butler+chauffeur, misses will clean and do laundry and milk cows.
I can also plough a field (not straight though), and can serve kidneys for breakfast.
We will live in converted Timber Frame Barn with Steel Frame Lean-to or tent in field.
Where would you moor your boat, Ted?
I love you.

Edit: I can't wait to get out of ****ing Wroxham.
:wink:
What's up with life at Wroxham?
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The Old Man of Storr
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Re: Watton, Norfolk

Post by The Old Man of Storr »

Up the Junction wrote: Thu Oct 10, 2019 12:36 pm



Corringham's not really on our radar, ToMoS. Hatfield Peveral we've looked at. I like Bicknacre/Danbury but it ain't cheap.
My sister in law and her husband are staying with us just now for a week - they live in Hatfield Peverel - nice house , lovely garden , Val got lucky and then they stuck on a couple of extensions - Martin is into his Boot Fairs and visits the Danbury Jumble Sales when he fancies something a bit more ' up market ' . :)
Jen and I honeymooned in Dedham just down the road , again very expensive .

Took them to Findhorn for the day today - some lovely places in Morayshire .
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Re: Watton, Norfolk

Post by Clacton-ammer »

My old man's care home is in Hatfield Peveral, from what I have seen driving through it looks a really nice place. Stopped in a pub a couple of times for lunch, locals we met seem like good peeps. Essex though innit, we sort of get each other.

If you come Dedham way you can pop in for a cuppa guv, the surrounding area is lovely, not sure there is much for young uns in fairness, well, if I lived here as young un I would have loved it, not sure about young uns nowadays.

Use to regularly visit Watton 10 or so years back, group of us use to go camping, always found it a lovely quiet place. Not surprised with the stories in truth, well, I am a little from what I remember, but every place seems to have it's issues nowadays.
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Re: Watton, Norfolk

Post by Pop Robson »

My daughter moved up to Fakenham with her mum years ago and it's not too bad.

It's, a Tesco, Morrison, Lidl, Adli, B&Q, decent Chip Shop and Wetherspoons, but no station at present long term plans to get something back.

Not too far to drive to the Norfolk Coast or back towards Derham, Swaffham etc

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-fo ... 18457.html

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-fo ... 31475.html
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Re: Watton, Norfolk

Post by Up the Junction »

-DL- wrote: Thu Oct 10, 2019 8:13 pmThis is nice too. One where initial looks can be deceiving. https://www.onthemarket.com/details/7745595/
Love the tiered garden. Mrs UtJ is a big fan of the old cottage style.
Samba wrote: Thu Oct 10, 2019 10:04 pmWhat about when your kids (if any) leave home or one of you become disabled for some reason or then, god forbid, your partner died?
It's a good point and we've discussed this very possibility, Samba. The solution we came up with (assuming you could sell reasonably quickly) would just be to move again. Since I hit the half century I'm very much a subscriber to the notion that you can't live your life because of what might happen in the near future; carpe diem and all that.
Clacton-ammer wrote: Fri Oct 11, 2019 7:17 amUse to regularly visit Watton 10 or so years back, group of us use to go camping, always found it a lovely quiet place. Not surprised with the stories in truth, well, I am a little from what I remember, but every place seems to have it's issues nowadays.
Thanks for the kind offer of a cuppa, Clackers. I didn't mind Watton itself, just different to what I'm used to - but I guess that's the whole point, isn't it!
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Re: Watton, Norfolk

Post by 1011Iron »

If you're still considering Norfolk, boss, I wouldn't recommend Watton.

Grew up in Norfolk and lived most of my life there.

As mentioned Watton is one of those towns dying a slow death. Schools are terrible too. You can add Thetford, Dereham, and Swaffham to that list.

Better towns would be Holt, Aylsham, Wymondham.

Although I'm working abroad at the moment, our family home is in Wymondham. Great schools, nice pubs, train station, and right on the A11 - 15 minutes to Norwich and easy to get out of the county!

Norwich is a nice city, and there are some beautiful, tranquil villages on the North Norfolk coast if that's your thing. Spent 3 years in a village called Overstrand and loved it. Nothing there for the kids though.

Contrary to some posts in this thread, I've always found the people to be very friendly and accommodating. But, then again, I am a local so maybe I get a pass! :)
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Re: Watton, Norfolk

Post by The Old Man of Storr »

Clacton-ammer wrote: Fri Oct 11, 2019 7:17 am

If you come Dedham way you can pop in for a cuppa guv, the surrounding area is lovely, not sure there is much for young uns in fairness, well, if I lived here as young un I would have loved it, not sure about young uns nowadays.

We were in Dedham last year - we've returned there 4 times since our honeymoon there back in '82 .
The walk along the Stour on a beautiful sunny day is just lovely , the skies are just different , no wonder John Constable did a lot of his paintings there - do you live in Dedham then , Clacks ?
If you drive into Dedham and turn left at the 'square ' , we stayed in the big house on the corner as you leave - we didn't have any money so we just drove until we came upon a village we liked the look of .
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Re: Watton, Norfolk

Post by Greatest Cockney Rip Off »

The Old Man of Storr wrote: Mon Oct 14, 2019 10:39 am We were in Dedham last year - we've returned there 4 times since our honeymoon there back in '82 .
The walk along the Stour on a beautiful sunny day is just lovely , the skies are just different , no wonder John Constable did a lot of his paintings there - do you live in Dedham then , Clacks ?
If you drive into Dedham and turn left at the 'square ' , we stayed in the big house on the corner as you leave - we didn't have any money so we just drove until we came upon a village we liked the look of .
Was just about to mention how beautiful Dedham is. I went there a few times as a kid, my mum loved the place and used to remark how John Constable got his inspiration for paintings from here.
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Re: Watton, Norfolk

Post by The Old Man of Storr »

Greatest Cockney Rip Off wrote: Mon Oct 14, 2019 12:05 pm Was just about to mention how beautiful Dedham is. I went there a few times as a kid, my mum loved the place and used to remark how John Constable got his inspiration for paintings from here.
:thup:
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Re: Watton, Norfolk

Post by Up the Junction »

1011Iron wrote: Sun Oct 13, 2019 1:16 pmAs mentioned Watton is one of those towns dying a slow death. Schools are terrible too. You can add Thetford, Dereham, and Swaffham to that list.
The locals told us Dereham and Swaffham schools were much better than the other two towns you mentioned. Ofsted seem to agree with them re Dereham, although standards appear to have slipped at Swaffham since 2014:

https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/10/SC038284

https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/23/138918

Norfolk has dropped down the list for now, anyways. Search currently primarily focusing on Wiltshire (Devizes area), Somerset (Wells etc), Suffolk and North Essex.
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Re: Watton, Norfolk

Post by EastBrisHammer »

I always had a soft spot for Suffolk when I used to live near-ish that way. Isn't it quite pricey though? Just stay away from Haverhill.

Have Ipswich and Colchester improved these days? I always had mixed feelings about Colchester. I think the squaddies jaded my view of the place. Seemed nice otherwise.
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Re: Watton, Norfolk

Post by Up the Junction »

EastBrisHammer wrote: Tue Oct 15, 2019 1:47 pmI always had a soft spot for Suffolk when I used to live near-ish that way. Isn't it quite pricey though? Just stay away from Haverhill.
It's still marginally cheaper than here in South East Essex, EBH. (What's the rub with Haverhill?)

Either way, it's time to leave the district (pop. currently ITRO 90k) I've called home since 1973:

5,284 new homes within 15 years (page 25)
EastBrisHammer wrote: Tue Oct 15, 2019 1:47 pmHave Ipswich and Colchester improved these days? I always had mixed feelings about Colchester. I think the squaddies jaded my view of the place. Seemed nice otherwise.
Colchester is ok, I think. Though I'm looking around rather than within currently. Peveral, Witham, Danbury etc.
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