UKC

Hello all, I'm looking to buy a house in the next few months in the Bristol-ish area in the next few of months and was wondering if anyone has any location recommendations? Unfortunately I don't know the area very well.

Into climbing (obviously!), trail running, walking the hound and general outdoors stuff.

Fortunately have a decent budget of £450k, hoping this will be a house to start a family etc. Have lots of relatives in North Somerset, so primarily moving to the area for childcare/family reasons. Partner and I work remotesly, but usually have to go on business to London once or twice a month, so been looking at places with reasonable access to the M4.

We've lived in both big cities and country villages, so pretty open to any type of area.

Any suggestions or advice much appreciated!

I used to live in Clevedon which I liked.  There are even a few short routes on the small sea cliffs and Portishead Quarry is just a mile up the road with Avon and Cheddar 1/2 hours drive away.

Couple of things which may help you narrow the search area.

If you have to drive to London, live somewhere with easy access to the M4 directly.  The biggest local motorway traffic issues seem to come between junctions 18 and 19 on the M5 where it crosses the river, and at the intersection between the M4 and M5.  You'd save yourself a lot of road-related annoyance if you lived somewhere east of that interchange or with the potential to avoid it..

And if your remote working depends on good internet access, you might want to do some research on who's offering what speeds where.  At a recent renegotiation of our broadband/phone/TV package, getting the speeds my wife's employer demanded pretty much meant going with Virgin.  Other fibre suppliers may be available elsewhere, but not here.  

That might help rule some places out.  Were it me looking, I'd start somewhere like Chipping Sodbury.  I find the estate lands of Yate very much not to my taste but they may be to yours.  

Whilst I like living where I do, south east of Bristol and south west of Bath, should you consider it you should be aware that it takes me 45 minutes to get to any of the M4, M5 or M32 and to get to the M4 you have to go through or round Bath.  Nevertheless, you could do worse; nice mix of town and country.

Good luck with your search.

T.

Consider being on the Northern side of the M4. I'm living in Dursley and have done for the last 15 years, moved here because my wife was working in Bristol, but I didn't want to live in or near the city. Loads of things to do locally, walking, mountain biking etc. A bit of drive to the local crags.

Parts of Birmingham are relatively affordable..

You can also consider crossing the bridge to Wales and the Forest of Dean.

St Andrews is nice. £450k should get you a nice flat. No garden.

Many thanks for all the advice and suggestions! 

Just got put on the the waiting list to view a property...straight into waiting list position 24 (this is going to be fun )

There's lots of options (obviously), I've lived in several parts of North Bristol over the past 15 years and really like the area. I'm in Filton Park which is only 3 miles from the centre and just off Gloucester Road but still only 10 minutes to the M4/M5 interchange. It's that cusp of the city where you quickly start to get better value for money, £450k should get you a decent 3 bed with garden, or a lot more if you're willing to be further out / in a rougher area (and conversely a 1 bed apartment in Henleaze). The little villages just north of Bristol are mostly nice, rural but still v close to civilisation. If you want to go country then have a look at places like Frampton Cotterell, Tytherington, Thornbury area, Charfield etc 

Round Junction 14 on the M5 (where I live) is nice. That budget should get you a nice 4 bed house and a garden. Gloucestershire schools are much better too. It's 25-30 mins to the gorge or the Wye Valley. Nice countryside round here too with the Cotswold edge only a few miles away.

Southville and windmill hill, easy access to the train station, airport, the river and gorge and Ashton court, some really nice parks like Victoria and the one by the Tobacco factory.  Also fairly young professional and family vibe along North street.

Couple of options to get to the motorway and the Mendips is just south.

Best of luck.

Toby 

Not far from me then.

Is the train to London a choice? If so look around the stations on the line to Exeter - direct trains to London, and lots of nice places.