Hastings Forum

Hello everyone - this looks like a nice, friendly forum, and hopefully it's indicative of Hastings itself.

I am planning to retire in the next two or three years, so have started to get some thoughts and plans into action. I'm currently living in Essex (and am East Ender) and am only living here for convenience for work. Because of this I thought it would be nice to relocate on retirement to somewhere much more pleasant that the Essex Badlands.

Anyway _ _ _ I have in mind buying a flat along the seafront, possibly The Marina. Is this a good idea for a retired woman living on her own who will need to get a life together when I get there? Are the garden flats likely to be flooded?

I would l love to get some opinions on anything you think may help, be it negative or positive. Thank you all.

Hi Silverfox

I've never heard of any flooding in the garden flats. I think I would want to be higher up though, simply for the sea view and a bit more away from the traffic. Remember the seafront is also the main A259 coast road so gets pretty busy.

If you go for a seafront flat, make sure the windows are good. You get the brunt of the weather down there. Other than that, you should love it, especially in the summer. Have to say I would rent one for six months first so you can check it all out without the comitment of buying.

Let us all know how you get on.

Marina x

Thanks Marina (a very apt name!) - I was thinking of spending some time in Hastings/St Leonards are various times, a few days mid-week a few weekends, at various times over the next 18 months or so to get a feel for the place. It would be a good idea to sell my flat here first and then rent for a while so I can get to know the area and find the best place for me.

The reason I wanted a garden/ground floor place is because I want to future proof myself - I don't want to move again and I don't fancy lugging my shopping up stairs when I'm 80 (if I live that long ).

Thank you for the tip about the windows - some good solid double glazing would be essential.

This website has been a real find - so much information. I think I might be popping down next Sunday for a quick look around.

I'll keep you all posted - I'm getting quite excited about all this now and don't want to wait 2 years. :laugh:

Hello

I retired to St Leonards On Sea from West London 4 years ago and I am female and live alone. I will give you my experience.

I am a 'born and bred' Londoner and swore I would never leave London, but it is no fun living there on a Pension and I had outgrown much of what I used to do. I did not know a sole in St Leonards, but had visited as a child and had fond memories. It actually took me two years from when I first decided to move, until I arrived here.

I was determined to live on the Seafront as I saw no point in moving to the coast and then living in the town. I sold my flat and rented a ground floor flat on Marina for 6 months. At that time Property was booming, there was a lot to choose from but prices were climbing all of the time.

I have looked at more flats along the seafront than I care to remember and I found buying a flat quite stressful. I had to be realistic about what I could afford and what I could take on. Estate Agents here are a bit slow with coming forward about all the details of converted flats, you need to arm yourself with a list of questions and get answers before you arrange to view a property, because there are some very bad conversions and some problematic freeholders.

Every basement flat that I saw had a damp problem, so I quickly ruled them out. I limited myself to either a ground floor or first floor flat, though even the first floor flats are sometimes quite high because of the heights of the ceilings in the Victorian Flats. The traffic on Marina is a bit of a problem, I lived on a main road in London so was used to it, but in retirement you spend a lot more time at home and it does get to me on some days.

I drive and it is fairly easy to park where I am, parking is free on Marina from Warrior Square to Grosvenor Gardens. I understand the buses are fairly infrequent along Marina.

I ended up buying a first floor one bedroom flat at the end of Marina, just before Grosvenor Gardens, flats here are a little cheaper and it is much quieter in general than other parts of Marina. It needed a lot of work doing and I had a bit of a nightmare for the first 2 years of living here, but it has all worked out in the end. I have a share of the freehold which I do not actually like, there are five flats in the house and I am the only owner occupier, the rest of the flats are buy to let and the freeholders are all some distance from St Leonards, I have spent the last
2 years trying to sort out the situation re management and repairs.

Marina is a bit isolated in the winter months, the weather is very 'full on' and you get the full force of the coastal winds, but when the sun shines it is a very different place. I love the view from my window, it is ever changing and for someone who has spent their life looking at the house opposite it is very liberating just seeing the horizon. I am friendly with the other occupants of the house, but I have not done much socialising really, my time has been taken up with other things. I spend a lot of time walking on the beach, painting and taking photographs..

I could go on a lot about life here, but will just say that I have no regrets. It takes a long time to feel part of a new area and I think that you have to be patient and let it happen naturally.

If you want to PM (private message) me and ask any questions i'll send you my email address.

Alex

Alex, thank you so much for your reply. That is exactly what I thought - why move to the seaside and live streets back from it?! I'm living right near the Dartford Crossing (Lakeside Shopping Centre more or less) but it is very quiet where I am, so the noise might take a bit of getting used to. I live in a flat at present, on the ground floor because I have visual problems and try to avoid stairs whenever possible, so a flat higher up without a lift wouldn't really be an option for me.

The thought of a bustling summer tempered with a solitary winter really appeals to me, and I really do like my solitude anyway so am happy with my own company.

As for freeholds/leaseholds, I'm the director of our residents company here so am pretty clued up on the legalities of it all, but do understand the issues could be very difficult when it's a small number of people owning the freehold. We have 64 properties here, so can afford to employ a managing agent to deal with most things for us.

I'm an FE lecturer, so I may also pop along to the college to see if there are a few hours' sessional work to keep me busy during term time, which would leave me with the whole of the summer to enjoy (as a full time lecturer in FE we don't have the luxury of weeks on end like the schools).

The more I think about it, the more I think that this will be a good move for me. Thank you again for your reply and also for your email address. That is very thoughtful of you.

You are welcome. It is a big move to make at this time of life and in reality once you have made it there is no going back as far as buying property is concerned.

There are very few properties with lifts along the seafront. If you have physical restrictions I would suggest a purpose built flat. Many of the seafront properties have been badly maintained and old properties are a constant drain on the pocket, even more so on the seafront.

If you read up on the history of St Leonards over the last 30+ years you will understand why it is cheaper here than any other Costal Resort in Sussex, I can send you some links if you would like to send me your email address I do not want to post them on here really.

Thanks Alex - email address sent.

Hi,
I think its good idea to planning to move to the area on retirement but before the move-in day, one final visit to the Marena is essential. It is a great way to introduce yourself to the new space, which will alleviate much of the stress once you are moved in. You can also meet other residents, check out their lifestyle, and even forge early friendships.



Property Management

Hi alexer

I plan to visit the area quite regularly and get to know the place. It's not going to be for at least two years before I get there, so hopefully I can forge some links and friendships during that time.

Roll on next bank holiday!

This is all very interesting stuff I must say! I'm moving to St Leonards (round the back of Warrier Square) next month and I'm in my late 50's_ _ _.London born_ _ _.went to teach in Italy and I'm now returning to Blighty after 12 years to retire. Didn't want to live in London and chose St Leonards with the hope of taking my dog for enjoyable walks along the seafront, spend time in the parks (there are no green spaces where I live in Italy) and finding lots of interesting activities to keep me occupied as well as making new friends. On one of the other forums there are people trying to get a morning social group together_ _ _I'm all for it! Can't wait to arrive in St Leonards and settle in!