Retiring To Devon

[kathy1999]

We are retiring to Devon next Spring. We're looking at Tiverton, Tavistock, Exeter (outskirts) and Newton Abbot, possibly Plymouth. are any of these better value? We want a bungalow within easy reach of a small town, good shopping, restaurants. Are house prices still dropping in Devon? We will probably have around £200,000 to spend but don't want a lot of work. Also is it possible to get a reasonable sized garden, say 150sq metres, I love gardening. Is there any difference in the weather between north and south devon? Sorry for so many questions!

[swissy_fit]

We are retiring to Devon next Spring. We're looking at Tiverton, Tavistock, Exeter (outskirts) and Newton Abbot, possibly Plymouth. are any of these better value? We want a bungalow within easy reach of a small town, good shopping, restaurants. Are house prices still dropping in Devon? We will probably have around £200,000 to spend but don't want a lot of work. Also is it possible to get a reasonable sized garden, say 150sq metres, I love gardening. Is there any difference in the weather between north and south devon? Sorry for so many questions!

There are big variations in climate, very localised, if you like walking you will learn to check the wind direction and choose your venue on this basis. The best is on the south coast as you might expect and east of high ground.

If you want any semblance of civilisation, things like a variety of restaurants and goodish shopping that you mention then there is only Exeter, the rest is hicksville, albeit some of it quite pretty and pleasant hicksville, and the coast of the South Hams has a passable climate by UK standards.

Tavistock is a nice small town but very wet like all the area on the west of Dartmoor.

[Frank Hovis]

There are big variations in climate, very localised, if you like walking you will learn to check the wind direction and choose your venue on this basis. The best is on the south coast as you might expect and east of high ground.

If you want any semblance of civilisation, things like a variety of restaurants and goodish shopping that you mention then there is only Exeter, the rest is hicksville, albeit some of it quite pretty and pleasant hicksville, and the coast of the South Hams has a passable climate by UK standards.

Tavistock is a nice small town but very wet like all the area on the west of Dartmoor.

Agree with most of that but Plymouth is much better these days, though I agree not as nice as Exeter.

[kathy1999]

Agree with most of that but Plymouth is much better these days, though I agree not as nice as Exeter.

House prices around Plymouth seem very reasonable, compared to other parts of Devon. Definitely looking there now. Are the train links good for London?

[Frank Hovis]

House prices around Plymouth seem very reasonable, compared to other parts of Devon. Definitely looking there now. Are the train links good for London?

Yes, apart from when the lines were flooded.

I was going to direct you to ianbeale Kathy as he knows Plymouth well but having looked at his profile he hasn't been posting for nearly a year. I'll leave further guidance to the Devon crowd, personally I'm the right side of the Tamar though I did live in Exeter for a year or so and quite liked it.

[Hold Fast]

Bere Alston might be worth a look. has a rail link to Plymouth and bungalows for circa 200k

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/find.html?locationIdentifier=REGION%5E3328&maxPrice=220000&displayPropertyType=bungalows&oldDisplayPropertyType=bungalows&googleAnalyticsChannel=buying

edit: i think porca miseria lives in Plymouth

Edited April 12, 2013 by Lionel Mandrake

[kathy1999]

Bere Alston might be worth a look. has a rail link to Plymouth and bungalows for circa 200k

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/find.html?locationIdentifier=REGION%5E3328&maxPrice=220000&displayPropertyType=bungalows&oldDisplayPropertyType=bungalows&googleAnalyticsChannel=buying

edit: i think porca miseria lives in Plymouth

Bere Alston is a bit small for me, I think. What do people think of Newton Abbot?

[porca misèria]

Bere Alston might be worth a look. has a rail link to Plymouth and bungalows for circa 200k

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/find.html?locationIdentifier=REGION%5E3328&maxPrice=220000&displayPropertyType=bungalows&oldDisplayPropertyType=bungalows&googleAnalyticsChannel=buying

edit: i think porca miseria lives in Plymouth

Heh. No. Plimuff is just my nearest big(ish) city. It's the best part of an hour from here, and a fiver on the bus.

Latest Nationwide survey shows house prices dropping slowly throughout Devon and Cornwall, with Plimuff dropping faster than the rest (and from an already low base). Both Plimuff and Exeter have some pretty ugly areas: I doubt you'd get very much for £200k in a middling-to-nice part of Exeter (and I'm not even sure if there is a nice part of Newton Abbott, unless you include nearby villages), but £200k in Plimuff will go a fair way. A decent garden is more likely in a suburb like Plympton than in the city. Tavistock is worth a look if you like a market town environment. On the other hand, £200k would get you very little in the South Hams.

[waltersmith]

Tavistock is the place to go. Nice town centre, lovely walks on to the Moors and pretty easy access to Plymouth via the A386 with the potential of a rail link

[porca misèria]

Tavistock is the place to go. Nice town centre, lovely walks on to the Moors and pretty easy access to Plymouth via the A386 with the potential of a rail link

And a lively town for its size - some very nice small shops, a little theatre, etc. One disappointment is the pubs: you have to go a little out of town to find a decent one.

It's also full of big new estates. If the railway goes ahead it'll be in connection with yet another 700 houses, on top of what's been built in recent years. The population must be up by 40-50% since the 2001 census!

On the subject of the prospective rail link to Plymouth, they recently ran a consultation, to which I responded. Details here.

[Patfig]

It rians all of the time. I felt like last week was the first time I have seen the sun for about 5 months.

You could venture over the river and out of England!

[kathy1999]

I heard before that there's alot of rain in Tavistock, being so close to Exmoor. Anybody know what Honiton is like? And where exactly are the S outh Hams?

[kathy1999]

I heard before that there's alot of rain in Tavistock, being so close to Exmoor. Anybody know what Honiton is like? And where exactly are the S outh Hams?

Sorry should have said Dartmoor, not Exmoor

[Conquistador]

Not much good to be said for Newton Abbot. Not awful though. South Hams (basically south of A38 from Torbay to Plymouth) is mostly very pretty but very expensive as full of wealthy 2nd home owners. Coast gets much more sun, high ground is very wet, and anything exposed to prevailing SW wind can get blasted! Exeter has several theatres and more culture, more middle class than Plymouth, plus regional airport and M5. North Devon has some great beaches but some isolated towns are quite inbred and deprived.

[steve80]

I have lived in Exeter all my life 32 years, If i could choose where to retire in many years time i would choose Topsham on the edge of Exeter, however its really expensive, imo Exeter currently has the best shopping in the county even have a John Lewis now that was big news for us, also getting an Ikea in 2015.

Exeter prices are not going down at the moment most of the houses i've been watching go close for asking, i went for a 3 bed Terrace house 3 weeks ago that was priced at 205k i offered 198k thinking was a great offer as being a FTB, however some else offered more than me and its now STC.

Train links to London are great from St Davids Station if you go for the fast train with no stops i believe its about 2 hours but dont hold me to that i normally go for the train that stops at serveral stations on the way to save money. The Exeter Airport is really handy too and improving with the choice of flights.

Im not a fan of Plymouth myself don't mind visiting it from time to time but would never want to live there it just feels more rough than Exeter but thats just how i feel.

There is currently a lot of new build development in Exeter and just outside with a Brand new town called Cranbrook so supply is increasing.

Weather been awful here for ages cold and wet but hopfully that will improve.

I can see why you would go for Newton Abott its kind of in the middle, 20/25 mins drive to Exeter on a good road 15 mins drive to Torbay if traffic is ok. Has all the major Supermarkets and recently a Morrison megastore has opened on the Teignmouth road.

Barnstable is the biggest town in North Devon and a bit like Newton Abott, North devon has the better beaches, not all but some of the Southern beaches can be seen to be a bit Chavy. Slapton sands in the South is a lovely place to walk a long feels so remote and peaceful.

Devon is a great choice to retire im sure you will love it.

[kathy1999]

can anybody explain why prices in and around Paignton seem to be cheaper? Thanks for all the advice. Think we might come over in September and have a look round.

[Conquistador]

It was a surprise to me on moving to Devon, but there is plenty of deprivation and unemployment in the Torbay area. I'm no expert here, but Paignton seems to be the poor relation, in comparison with Torquay and Brixham. Quite a tacky place.

[porca misèria]

It was a surprise to me on moving to Devon, but there is plenty of deprivation and unemployment in the Torbay area. I'm no expert here, but Paignton seems to be the poor relation, in comparison with Torquay and Brixham. Quite a tacky place.

I don't know either, but I wonder if some of these areas are popular with a certain class who make a lifestyle choice to live on the state and at the seaside once they figure out how to work the benefits system?

[SarahBell]

I heard before that there's alot of rain in Tavistock, being so close to Exmoor. Anybody know what Honiton is like? And where exactly are the S outh Hams?

Town is lovely.

Had eyed up a place near there.

But am thinking of Dorset now.

[Realistbear]

3 years since the last post--how is Devon doing? Are more people moving west for value and to escape certain things that are pervading the SE?

[Conquistador]

Exeter prices have been rising at a fair clip (5-6% annually) since 2013, but could have reached a plateau now as number of sales is decreasing. Local agents remain bullish but that may be swagger in wake of the EU referendum.

[thekillingdoll]

Relatively new here, but I can add to this. Moved from London to Plymouth just over a year ago, not to retire but a change in employment. Got sick of the unrealistic workload expectations my place in London was wanting, along with the massive commute on delayed, expensive trains, so started looking for another job and ended up in Plymouth, which I wasn't expecting. Massive increase in quality of life, much larger house for less money, with parking so I now have my weekend sports car. Commute is now a 25 minute walk so guaranteed knowledge of when I am going to get to work and get home.

When looking for a place, I considered a few of the towns around Plymouth, and even looked at Exeter, but being able to walk to work was a big draw. Ended up settling in one of the nicer parts of Plymouth just north of the city, away from the students and in among the what my work colleagues call 'the posh bit'. I don't have an issue with Plymouth, and it isn't as bad as people were telling me prior to going there, although a few kept confusing it with Portsmouth. There are parts were I wouldn't want to live, either due to being a bit rougher or the massive influx of students meaning your neighbours change yearly, but there are undesirable parts in many cities in the UK. The other added bonus is that I see the sea daily, and can get down to the Barbican or the Hoe in 15 minutes, and on a nice day it is unbeatable.