Do not rent a flat,, a small house or bungalow,,then the bike can be locked up by the front door (0or back)
Yeah, I've looked at rents for houses too for that very reason. What I don't want to do is end up spending a large part of what I've got to buy a house with on renting a place while I look for a property to buy. There is always the possibility of renting a lock-up. I'd worry a bit about the security of this if it wasn't on the doorstep, but there are some places that rent out lock-ups in secure compounds. But beggars can't be choosers, and I guess I'd just have to manage with whatever comes up in whatever place I find.
Just looking at the very wide spread of house prices £180K buys something decent
That's actually a bit over my budget! I'm not going to be able to afford a palace, but I have seen some nice little properties advertised well below that, some 3 bedroom (more than I want or need), but my big priority is a place with a garage. Unfortunately, it seems the easiest way to find that is to go for 3 bed, as most 2 bed properties (more ideal for me) don't have garages, or at least, less of them do.
It's all a bit worrying, and I could really do with a bit more cash, but cash is exactly where I'm hoping to be able to capitalise. Maybe if I can find somewhere that has been up for sale for a while, then move in with a cash offer, no chain etc, I might be able to score a bargain. Renting a flat or house to start with hopefully will give me the time to look for such a place, plus enabling me to find work and gauge if I'm making the right decision. Never bought a property before, and it's all very scary!
The alternative is rent a house, get a job, and live like a king for a few years (how many bikes did I want?
), before the money runs out and I'm back to a very uncertain future.
You will never be short of good biking roads in all directions from Carlisle . Unlike a lot of towns and cities it is not connected to the next town by urban sprawl. I can't help on the other aspects but on the odd times I've called in it seem a decent place.
The roads and places to explore are the main thing drawing me to the city. I could get even cheaper properties in the north east, but I want good access to the Lakes, Yorkshire and Southern Uplands. So far what I have read about Carlisle is very promising - one or two estates to avoid, but that's the same in any big town or city. Overall, I like what I'm hearing. House prices are said to be
39% below the UK average! The local authorities have recently been looking at ways of promoting the city, improving housing, attracting business etc. People say the feel is more like a large village, where people still have the time of day for each other.
Also, there are six or seven bike dealerships around the city, which is one place I'd be looking for work. I could probably get away with part time work cos of my forces pension, so more time to enjoy the riding, and maybe a bit of walking in the Lake District.
So, the big questions are, will a decent property come up before renting eats too deeply into my funds? Will I be able to find work? Am I thinking about the right area in the first place? Do I really have enough money to give me much choice? To say I'm apprehensive would be a major understatement!