Need help finding a place to live in England

[justk]

Hello,

I am an American who is about to relocate to the UK for a job. Given the choice I would love to live in London, but unfortunately it is too far from my office which will be located in Southampton. I am wondering if anyone can suggest areas near Southampton -within 35 or so miles (55 Km ) of Southampton for a 29 year old? Preferable somewhere that has sort of a big city feel with a night life.

Thanks for your help!!

[redcrx]

big city feel? The UK doesnt have big towns / cities every 20 miles or so like parts of the states.

Why not try looking at Southampton and perhaps Portsmouth for a start.

Have you tried also asking your new employers for their recommendations, some places may be easier to travel to than others.

[KARL]

Please don't be misled into thinking that London is the UK and vice versa any more than New York is the USA, although both cities sometimes appear to think of themselves in those terms. Personally, I prefer to get as far away from towns and cities as possible, but each to his/her own, eh. As for accommodation, I suggest you aim to rent somewhere for perhaps as much as the first 3 months while you familiarise yourself with what is available and make form your own opinions and then make an informed choice - all depending on how long you intend to stay. Do be aware that people here (and elsewhere in Europe) use public transport (buses, trams, trains) a lot more than in the USA and it is also very much better than generally found in the USA. this is in ways connected to the fact that running a car (on the other side of the road) here is significantly more expensive than in the USA. Cars cost more in the first place and so does maintenance, and fuel costs around USD6.80 per US gallon (petrol/gasoline and/or diesel). Why so you ask. Well, taxation is markedly higher here than in the USA but then the state (that's government to you, local and national) pays for much more here than there. People here need not fear any devastating consequences (that can be sorted by human intervention) of childbirth, illness, accident, unemployment, etc. like is a very real threat to most ordinary people in the USA where any of these things can bring about lifelong struggle and/or destitution.

[KARL]

There is an awful lot more to life than bars/pubs and mass socialising and I rather think you will look back on your stay finding that the mental stimulous you receive from experiencing the unfamiliar will make the longest lasting impression. Before you come, try to follow UK media online to get a feel for what preoccupies people here. Prepare yourself for instantly and obviously being a foreigner as soon as you open your mouth. English vocabulary in daily use has some differences from that in the American language and there are spelling differences in words that are common to the two. There are some sharp differences between the mindsets of of people from the two nations. Welcome to the world of expatriate education and experience - if you are intellectually minded then you will get a lot out of it and enjoy it. You are lucky to have a potentially very exciting and rewarding life - Americans would say you are blessed, just one of the differences in attitudes you will discover. I have travelled to and lived in very many countries on four different continents and I am extremely grateful for what I have seen and learned. It has taught me who I am and put a lot of things into perspective. I wish you all the best.

[bobjugs12]

Portsmouth or Southampton are both good starts. So are the smaller towns scattered around.

Are you looking at buying, renting a place to yourself, or sharing with someone else. I live round that area and may know a few people who could help you out.

[VHG]

>The UK doesnt have big towns / cities every 20 miles or so like parts of the states.

Quite the reverse.

We DO have towns every 20 miles or so, whereas in the States you can go hundreds of miles between towns.

[VHG]

You need to think VERY carefully about where you live in that area.

There are a LOT of companies round there, and hence a LOT of traffic during rush hours.

Because of the sea there is only a thin corridor for the traffic to pass through, so the whole area can jam up with cars very quicktly.

As you can see from looking on Google maps, the M27 motorway runs basically East / West in the area, while the M3 motorway travels in from the North.

The only two decent size cities in the area are Southampton and Portsmouth so they seen the most obvious choices. And if you are working in Southampton why not live there?

West of Southampton is the New Forest, a loverly area to live, but expensive and a NIGHTMARE for traffic (Lyndhurst in the centre can easily become gridlocked at times)

As someone has said, I would start living in Southampton, and stay there for a few months until you get to know the area better.

You may even decide to stay there as it is decent city with a great history and a huge modern shopping centre called WestQuay.

http://www.west-quay.co.uk/website/

[VHG]

And being American you do have a link with Southampton.

The original Pilgrim Fathers left Southampton for their trip to the USA (you may learn at school that they left from Plymough but infact they only popped into Plymouth brielfly and their official departure point was Southampton).

There is a Mayflower Memorial in Southampton, see here

http://www.stga.org.u...rim-fathers-walk.html

[VHG]

Little bit about Southampton here

http://www.stga.org.u...hampton-in-brief.html

and hre

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southampton

[VHG]

Guide to moving to the area

http://www.southampto...living/movingtosoton/

[justk]

I want to thank everyone who has posted answers to my question! I am considering Southampton and Winchester as possible places to live, but the one item I forgot to mention is that I will have someone coming with me that will be working in London. The main reason I was looking outside of Southampton was to try and get as close to the “middle” between the two as possible. However, I don’t know what is really reasonable as far as the commute and what is nice place to live is.

[VHG]

> I will have someone coming with me that will be working in London.

Ah, well it would have helped if you had said that in the first place !

London is a VERY large place, and it would help to know if they are working in Central London, or in the North, South etc of London (and what is the nearest main line station).

I have just done a route plan from Central London to Southampton and it is 77 miles so it is either a LONG commute for one of you, or a 30 mile or so commute for both of you.

I think the most important thing to consider is what is the train journey like from the place you live INTO London (driving into London is just not worth it, the queues are awful and parking is difficult and expensive).

So look at a few possible towns and see what the rains are like both to London AND Southampton.

Looking at the map then distance wise Basingstoke is a possible, or Aldershot or Guilford (I have no experience of these towns).

If you want to live near Southampton you say you are considering Winchester, but getting from Winchester to London by train is probably very difficult (I have not checked).

You need to check which MAIN LINE trains go to London, and where the stops are.

Getting to London from Southampton is probably easier than Winchjester (I am sure many commute from Southampton to London), however it wont be cheap, and it may not be a quick journey.

I have to say you have set yourself quite a challenge, keeping both of you happy, and trying to make the journey as good as possible for both of you.

If you need any more help let us know.

[VHG]

London has a number of Main Line train stations that come in from various areas on the South of Engfland, there is map here

http://www.interrailn...on_train_stations.jpg

So you can see stations like Victoria, Waterloo, London Bridge etc all come in from the south.

So you need to work BACKWARDS from these stations to see where they go and if any are "best" for access to London AND Southampton (even if you plan to drive to Southampton it is useful have the train as an alternative).

I am no expert on trains in the South of England but it seems "South West Trains" may serve you best. Here is their website and map of their routes.

http://www.southwestt...o.uk/networkmap.aspx#

You can see the train come IN to London at Waterloo, but they also go down to Southampton.

So you could live half way (Guilford and Woking both seem to be on the route), or as I said, you could live in Southampton or Portsmouth and then your partner could commute from either of them to London.

As I said, either eay it is either going to be one LONG commute for one of you, or 2 smaller commutes for both of you.

[VHG]

The other option is you live in Southampton or nearby.

Then the person who works in London travels up on the Monday, stays there all week, and travels back on the Friday and spends the weekend in Southampton.

Plenty of people do this, work in London all week and "go home" at the weekend. Saves on commute times and commute costs (but you do have extra rent costs)

Or you could reverse it and both live in London all week, and you go to Southampton between Monday and Friday, again saving on commuter time and travel costs (and rent costs will be cheaper in Southampton).

Good luck

[spudqueen]

The Pilgrim Fathers didn't even all start their journey in England VHG - have a look here
http://www.mayflowerh...m/History/voyage3.php

[justk]

VHG-Thank you for the answers, you have definitely gone over and above to try and help! I think what I am trying for is a smaller commute for the both of us.
If anyone could provide information on living in any or all of the following that would be greatly appreciated:

Guilford, Woking, Basingstoke, Alton, Farnborough and/or Aldershot

Thank you!

[VHG]

>The Pilgrim Fathers didn't even all start their journey in England VHG - have a look here

Thanks spudquuen.

It was of course the Mayflower that set out from Southampton (along with the Speedwell that came from Holland). The Speedwell then had to pull in at Plymough as it was sinking, and everybody climbed on the Mayflower and that sailed across on its own.

So if I am going to be pedantic, it was the Mayflower Pilgrims that originally set off from Southampton.

[buildersmate]

Most good suggestions have been covered off by others but I agree that Winchester, followed by Southampton are both good bets (I have personal knowledge of both).
Winchester is a college town so the nightlife is reasonable for teens to 20 somethings. It is also a historic place and compact. Most importantly, the rail transport links into London are great - I think you will find that most fast London trains that originate or pass through Southampton, then Winchester, then Basingstoke, then straight into London. It is about one hour's ride (for 70 miles in distance). Winchester has expanded the volumes of flats for such upwardly mobile people such as yourself - particularly in the area close enough to walk to the station (say up to a mile from the station). This sort of thing - built using a former Army barracks.
http://www.vrwinchest...ninsula_brkks_v_.html

Of your other recent suggestions (I know most of these places)
Alton - reasonable town but I'd rule out on transport links - rail into London probably no quicker than Winchester and it's a lot nearer. Impossible get to Southampton by rail (easily).
Aldershot - no - too much Army and a poor place with a pathetic centre.
Guildford - good links into London and University and cultural activities make this a favourite - but far more pricey than Winchester because so much closer to London. Too difficult by rail to Southampton.
Farnborough - again on the Southampton-London main rail-line. Personally I don't like it - too suburban and inadequate night-life (I suspect).
Basingstoke. Was a 'new town' 30 years ago, built around a old centre. OK in terms of transport links but limited cultural stuff. Town centre recently upgraded so more now for younger people.

[VHG]

At one time Winchester was the capital of England (and very rich), and some English kings were crowned there before the ceremony was moved to Westminster Abbey.

It has an amazing cathedral, some other wonderful old buidlings, and a great "private" school.

However being a medieval town it has a lot of very narrow streets so the traffic can be a bit of a nightmare. No way to build a bypass as there are hills round the town (and the M3 motorway runs alongside it).

Some modern shops and a few specialist individual shops (and nice pedestrianised high street) but not exactly overflowing with shops.

It is a medieval village that has grown to be a small town.

[VHG]

Something that may help you understand about London and the towns that surround it.

London is a huge city (about 40 miles across) and millions travel into London every day to work.

But many people who work in London dont want to live in London (the houses are very expensive, gardens are small, parking is a nighmare, and like most big cities, crime can be problem).

So people move out to the suburbs and travel in. But over the years the suburbs began to be part of London, so people had to move further and further out to find cheaper houses, or houses with gardens and places to park.

So after a time many of the towns well outside London (like Basingstoke, Guilford etc) became commuter towns, where people live, and travel in and out to London each day.

So these satellite towns are full of commuters, but have little entertainment facilities of their own (they have some of course, but nothing like the grand scale of London).

So while the idea of living in one of these towns may appeal from a travel point of view, you may find the facilities on offer a disappointment.

London is an amazing city and like most capitals there are thousands of things to do, so if you get the chance to live there then try to take it.

As I said, one of the options is to both live in London and you travel down to Southampton for the week, staying in rented accomodation, which may not be too expensive in a city like Southampton.

That way you both get the advantage of the facilities in London, and only one person commutes each week (from London to Southampton and back on Monday and Friday).