Shall we ? Your opinions please

For many reasons, it would be better for me to live closer to my sons' families, one in Berkshire, one in Oxfordshire. I am now 75 and for a few years haven't been in the best of health. However, I don't know if the value of my house here in Cheshire would buy me an equivalent property. I have friends here and excellent GPs. One family would like me to have a granny apartment with them if they can find a suitable property. So many questions!

For many reasons, it would be better for me to live closer to my sons' families, one in Berkshire, one in Oxfordshire. I am now 75 and for a few years haven't been in the best of health. However, I don't know if the value of my house here in Cheshire would buy me an equivalent property. I have friends here and excellent GPs. One family would like me to have a granny apartment with them if they can find a suitable property. So many questions!

We moved to the Lakes after many happy holidays here for several years. We'd spent Christmases here so also knew it when the weather is not so great. Been here 7 years now and don't think I'd move back down south. I miss my daughter but when I visit I'm struck by the busyness,unfrienliness and busy busy roads. Winters are long and often hard but the wonderful views and peace and quiet makes you forget them.

What a good idea Emelle, if my parents had done that it would have saved a lot of heartache for them, they had only been in their new place less than 2 weeks when mum had the breakdown, so no way would they have moved there if they had done wgat you did first, she hated it from day 1

At the age of 80 my nan gave up smoking and went off to Milton Keynes to start a new life. After giving it a try she decided she missed East London and returned, you are never to old to try something new. Just go for it.

We moved house to be nearer facilities. The area we were in had one bus a week, and the garden was 2 acres. Not good when you are aging.
I told my DH that i would leave him if we hadn't re-located by the time he was 70. Since DS1 is the original rolling stone, having lived variously in Cambodia, Argentina, Australia and Costa Rica and is now moving to India, via Viet Nam - the chances of him being near are remote. DS2 lives within an hour, DD lives all over the UK, moving with her job, so can't rely on being near her..
We moved to a little town not far from our old home, with doctor, dentist, small supermarket and local shops, bus and train all within 5 minutes walk.
DH mourned his garden for several years, but since he got an allotment is very happy and we have settled in well.
On piece of advice. If you are going to move, don't leave it too late - to be pushed is not a good thing... Both my DPs and ILs were resentful of having to move when they were no longer able to look after themselves alone.

There are so many pros and cons in this situation. We have lived on the outskirts of a big city for 30 years and hospitals, doctor and dentist are a bus ride away should we ever have to stop driving. My sister retired to a very quiet country village and is always horrified by the busy roads when they visit us. But she is now undergoing chemotherapy and every hospital visit for treatment, tests etc is a 30 mile drive away and I doubt if they could now afford to move back to somewhere less isolated.

Thank youharrigran that is a really sensible bit of advice

Phone the estate agent today,get a valuation and look on the internet at possible options in Wales.
If you start to feel excited,it is time to go.
Good to be selling when the gardens are in bloom.

If you have no family left in the area then there is nothing really to keep you there. I would do my homework and make sure there are medical facilities and shops reasonably close as we may become infirm in later years. When I was in hospital they asked how close I lived to the hospital, they discharged me because I was within 15 minutes of emergency treatment. The same happened when I went on chemo, I need to be within 15 minutes of the unit.

Thank you all for your replies. My DD will not be moving any time soon. They have a big house which they are renovating and they just love where they live. We know the area quite well as we have been to stay quite a few times. DD has suggested we sell our house, put our stuff in storage and stay with them for a few months. So we are on the Spot if a good house comes up.
My only sadness is that my DS ,his wife and our 2GDs live about an hour from where we are now. Albeit round the M25, and we would not see them so often.But they have given our proposed move their blessing and will come to stay for long holidays.

We recently sold the house we had lived in for nearly 40 years, for reasons similar to yours and were considering a move nearer to our daughters and grandchildren. We had the good fortune to be able to house sit in the same city giving us time and chance to see if it was what we really wanted to do.
We have enjoyed being here for the last 3 months but it has made us realise that we would prefer to live in a better part of the area we had moved from. We have our own network of friends and activities and to be honest we do feel to be at the beck and call of the family. We have decided to move back. We will only be an hours drive away so will still have plenty of contact with the family and continue to do some childcare but on our terms. This may sound a little bit selfish but we have worked hard all our lives and want to enjoy some time together. Renting temporarily was the best thing we could have done and is definitely worth looking in to.

My parents decided to move from Anglesey to Prestatyn when they retired, worst move they ever made, I had said to them you have lived in Anglesey all your lives, know everyone around you etc, of course when they moved they knew no-one, my mum had a nervous break down which made my dad decide to move back to Anglesey, of course they couldn't get the lovely home they had before which was set on a hill with a fantastic view over the sea, I don't think either of them were ever really happy again, think hard before you move, put all the pros & cons on a sheet of paper & see which has the most on the list

Yes, yes and yes again!, I have several friends who have relocated, mainly to the West Country and they say it is the best thing they have ever done. We have no immediate family, our only son (my step son) emigrated to Australia forty years ago and now lives in Bali. Our surrogate granddaughter is going to live in Switzerland so we are moving from London borough of Bromley to Lincolnshire where I was not ! I am early 70s and DH is 89 this year. You go girl, you won't regret it!

My mother moved four times in her 80s. The last time at 88. She really amazed me. Now at 92 she is settled somewhere she has her own flat and a reasonable level of support. I would say give it a try. 70 is still relatively young nowadays.

Sounds great but you should not assume your DD will necessarily stay put. She might say she will but she is young and circumstances may change. Don't rely on buses or local shops. When we moved here there was a shop/PO and a good bus service to the nearest town, now both of these are gone and we are looking to move elsewhere. I'd say consider all the options and remember that nowhere is going to be perfect. I bet you go in the end - good luck!!!

Yes 'Go'. Did it last year and am so pleased, I love it!! Would never go back to London. I have moved closer to my daughter too, so it was double bubble for me. Moving isn't easy, but if you're in good health then it will be worth it.

Yes, go. I would choose somewhere on a bus route as you may not always want to drive. Also think of a property with a downstairs lavatory and the possibility of a downstairs bedroom, should the need arise. Not too much garden and join the WI. You will soon get to know people. Villages are quite welcoming to those who are prepared to get involved.

yes you most go or you will always regret it moving house is very hard and sometimes all the packing puts you off as soon as you make your mind up to move start sorting out one room at a time packing all the thing you do use

Your daughter is the best person to advise you on the area, hospitals, towns, bus routes etc, she uses them , I wish you much happiness

Would you be happy to stay if your DD moved on?

Make sure first that there is a GP and dentist within a reasonable distance and that the local hospital is not too many miles away. One has to consider the time when you can no longer drive and taxi fares can rack up- ask Alea.

You also want shops nearby and not to be isolated because as others have said, you are fit now, times will change and you do not want to move again when you are less able to do so.

Attractive as the idea may be do not go for a large garden, again failing health makes that a nightmare. I know I am talking years ahead but now is the time to prepare, this will be your last move.

Think about weather also- could you be isolated there if we had snow or heavy rain?

As others have said, if you can go and stay there for a week or so and get a feel of the terrain

We all have one more move left in us!

Go for it.

We have done it twice! When we both got early retirement in 2003 we moved from Yorkshire 200 miles south to be nearer DS and DD who had both had a baby girl in the previous 12 months. We moved to a village not far from Milton Keynes and loved it. DH was and is a keen cyclist and joined a club and I joined the village WI and a local U3A choir. We had 10 very happy years there and saw lots of the DGC and their parents.

In 2012 DH had a medical emergency (peritonitis) and it brought home to us how we needed to be nearer our family, who had by this time moved again for work promotions - DS first to Germany then back to Essex and DD's partner to the south coast.

After a lot of debate DD persuaded us to up sticks and move near to them on the south coast. I had misgivings about another upheaval but DH was all for it and so we did it and it has worked out wonderfully. We have been able to give lots of support to DD and DGC and are very close to them. I immediately joined the WI and a choir and DH, by now recovered from his operation, joined a cycle club. We love living here and are pretty sure that this is where we will end our days! (I think).

Moving house is hard work and I agree it's best to get a removal firm to do the packing. It is also a good time to de-clutter and get rid of stored rubbish treasured belongings! It is also a good time to really decide what is important about where and how you want to live.Pros and cons list making played a big part in our decision making.

Go for it. It's an adventure and exciting getting to know a new home and area.

To be near your DD AND in West Wales? What's not to like? We lived there for a couple of years when the children were small and it started a love affair with West Wales. We go back there at every opportunity even though it is a long drive for us now. Go for it! You're not that old yet!