[Helencus]

After much thought we have decided to sell up next spring and try to find a much cheaper smallholding. Won't bore folks with details but I'm paying a London sized mortgage which means I have to do a very well paid but stressful job and I've had enough.. Life is too short.

So we're looking to try to find a place with around 2 acres minimum that has outbuildings for animals, pigs horses etc with the potential to convert an outbuilding for my father to live with us. Not sure where really but has to be under 300k Preferably less if possible. So anyone any ideas of where is nice mustn't be too remote as I have a 14 yr old who needs to finish school and wants to go to college.
Suggestions welcome. Thanks!

[crosser]

lincolnshire is a good start..  value for money ... 

[Power Poultry]

Lincs and west Norfolk are still Ok on price

[Rosemary]

Aberdeenshire is good. Try Aberdeen and Northern Marts, Aberdein Considine Estate Agents. Aberdeen itself has a university and various colleges.

[HappyHippy]

Come to Scotland ! The prices are cheaper and the weather's not THAT bad 
Anywhere within an hour of Glasgow/Edinburgh will give you easy access to some great shops, schools and uni's.
Here's some websites for a look
HTH
Karen x
http://www.lawrie-and-symington.com/lanark-property-list/
http://www.ckdgalbraith.co.uk/rural
http://www.savills.co.uk/

[Jackie]

Well done on finally making THE decision Helencus, I know you have been struggling with this for a while.
Yes life is too short!

Before buying my smallholding I looked at both Scotland and Lincolnshire.

 I decided on Lincolnshire for several reasons;

Land is cheaper than anywhere not remote in Scotland.

More temperate winters so cheaper animal feeding and longer autumns for extra time on the land and for veg.

Great train links to almost anywhere.

Small airport that does great internal flights, IE Edinburgh Exeter London and Ireland for holidays. This airport is international too forflights to Spain etc and good parking at the airport.

Good east coast seaside places for days out

Lots of other smallholders.

Just about right in the middle of England so easily assessable to anywhere with the great road links.

From my house I can get to Nottingham, Hull, Grimsby, Cleethorpes, Doncaster all within an hour driving.

Good luck deciding where. 

PS We found our place through Brown and Co estate and land agents.

[lazybee]

FRANCE if you don't mind having loads more land for your money. One of my boys came over at 14yrs went to a French school then college passed his exams then had them converted to a British equivalent by NARIC and found he had higher grades then he thought and got a very good job back in the UK. He has since been to Texas, Alaska and this week Saudi Arabia. Plus all my kids now have two languages. Smallholding (to varying degrees ) here where I an is the pretty much the norm.  

Don't forget the weather too. I grow peaches, nectarines, grapes, toms, aubergines, melons, peppers all outdoors.




Wherever you decide to go don't waste too much time. As the saying goes Know where you are going in life because you might already be there

[crosser]

exactly the same reasons as us jackie....  scotland was number 1 on our list but just that bit to far from family otherwise we would be there now...  lincolnshire is laid back compared to oxfordshire where we moved from...  we chose stickney as it has the best senior school in the county, 10 miles from the college ,15 miles from the beach, plenty to do when family visit as village has minature railway,parrot zoo, farm park, 2 dykes for fishing, what more could i ask for...   good luck on your search for a property...  as a guide we brought our place last year for 155,000 with 1 acre and we can rent another 2 acres for 10 pounds a month if we needed it...  

[ser3dan]

We're trying to head north to somewhere along the Moray firth if we can. I'm still trying to sort a job as that's the only thing stopping us from going now, once that's sorted we'll be on our way! Yay!

[CameronS]

Fife 

[Helencus]

Thanks everyone some very good suggestions. I love Scotland But hubby thinks everywhere is too remote it's not he just won't see it. Must say hadn't really thought of Lincs. Food for thought thanks for the suggestions.
Jackie - yes I finally have decided to get on with it I really don't need the material stuff just enough to pay the bills and put food on the table. I hope it works out! 

[Norfolk Newby]

Hi Helencus

I moved to Norfolk 3 years ago and bought a field. It was harder to get anyone to actually sell (rather than just talk about it!) some land to 'an outsider' than I expected. Finally I used a local estate agent to act as my buying agent. This cost me a few hundred pounds but got me the land I wanted.

I wanted some rather peculiar soil (light sandy soil with chalk) which made the middle part of Norfolk a good place to look. So far, no regrets.

Watch out for low lying areas which may become submerged (Fens etc.). These are beautiful fertile places but the long term worry of the sea rolling in would give me nightmares.

Access to a lot of Norfolk will be greatly improved if the A11 is dualled over the last stretch of country lane south of Thetford. A lot of local people will be upset by this as it opens the door to an invasion. However, it will make a big difference for business and general prosperity.

Don't look for property too near the coast as there is a definite price premium to pay for sea views.

Location may depend more on where your heart is than the actual prices there. If you come from the London area, you may want to see friends and family so access to good roads and rail to give reasonable access may be the first priority. Don't underestimate this. Norfolk isn't bad and should get better if/when the A11 is sorted out. West Norfolk has a good rail link to London (Kings Lynn => Kings Cross). The Norwich to Liverpool Street line seems to fall apart once a week. However, Norwich is a lovely city (history, shops, theatre, football).

Good luck with your plans and keep us informed of progress.

NN

[bamford6]

Scotland is the place you could get a tenant farm for little rent or even get a small farm for 250 you should get buildings and 10   acres for that we are just out side aviemore .iff i moved i would go to Lincoln but you still have the crime .we leave keys in the motors post man comes in with the mail iff its in portant he signs for it .very hard in winter some times .last yere 3 days could not get out .you have to like to live like that not that fare on the kids but you have to have all the mates

[Helencus]

Thanks Gary and NN. Truth be told I would love to live in the highlands, Its one of the most beautiful places on earth IMHO and hard winters etc. Is part of the territory I think. Like I say hubby not so keen he's a city boy really. Maybe I'll persuade him tho!

[Jackie]

Im sure if you let us know where you decide to locate to then we will all look up some places and estate agents for you which will make looking very much easier.