kit279
Well-Known Member
I am now definitely moving for work this year from near Cambridge to near Oxford which means selling my lovely house with 10 acres in Newmarket (sniff sniff) and trying to find something near Oxford. Am also getting married in September to a non-horsey but vaguely interested in learning other half - both of us are doctors so we need to be able to get to all the hospitals (Oxford, Reading, Milton Keynes, Banbury, Slough, Aylesbury and High Wycombe) in the area as will rotate through them all in the next few years.
I've got a buyer lined up for the house in Newmarket, off market as it's not even been advertised yet. I could sell straightaway, stick the horses on livery and be a cash buyer if something came up - however Oxford area is pretty expensive and I accept there's going to be a compromise somewhere. For me it's the house, for my other half, its the horses! I've been to see a few places - one of which was ideal and under budget but sold before we had really got our act together in terms of deciding to move.
The current options are:-
1) 4 bedroom house with absolutely amazing dressage equestrian set up, 20x60m top-notch arena, 9 stables, 8 acres, sort of near Milton Keynes so would be a slog of a commute if we are posted to Reading or Slough, top end of budget and would need a mortgage but could move in straightaway and enjoy it, nothing needs doing on the house or horse-wise
2) 3 bedroom bungalow, 12 acres, no horse facilites but could revamp subject to planning permission, could buy without a mortgage, near Aylesbury
3) 5 bedroom house, 3 acres, no equestrian facilities as yet, again top end of budget, has a separate cottage which would be really useful as annexe for parents in the future
4) Quirky 4 bedroom house, with 4 acres, 4 stables, near Oxford, could buy without a mortgage, odd set-up as semi-detached and very very quirky!
I do actually want to be able to ride and compete, after 2 years working full-time away from the horses, and having decided to move, I really would like to crack on. However, none of the above are completely perfect. Should I sell and then wait for something to come along or just pick one of the above?
I've got a buyer lined up for the house in Newmarket, off market as it's not even been advertised yet. I could sell straightaway, stick the horses on livery and be a cash buyer if something came up - however Oxford area is pretty expensive and I accept there's going to be a compromise somewhere. For me it's the house, for my other half, its the horses! I've been to see a few places - one of which was ideal and under budget but sold before we had really got our act together in terms of deciding to move.
The current options are:-
1) 4 bedroom house with absolutely amazing dressage equestrian set up, 20x60m top-notch arena, 9 stables, 8 acres, sort of near Milton Keynes so would be a slog of a commute if we are posted to Reading or Slough, top end of budget and would need a mortgage but could move in straightaway and enjoy it, nothing needs doing on the house or horse-wise
2) 3 bedroom bungalow, 12 acres, no horse facilites but could revamp subject to planning permission, could buy without a mortgage, near Aylesbury
3) 5 bedroom house, 3 acres, no equestrian facilities as yet, again top end of budget, has a separate cottage which would be really useful as annexe for parents in the future
4) Quirky 4 bedroom house, with 4 acres, 4 stables, near Oxford, could buy without a mortgage, odd set-up as semi-detached and very very quirky!
I do actually want to be able to ride and compete, after 2 years working full-time away from the horses, and having decided to move, I really would like to crack on. However, none of the above are completely perfect. Should I sell and then wait for something to come along or just pick one of the above?
