Moving to hastings

Questions and answers for those considering a move to the Hastings area.
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Richard
Posts: 3347
Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2014 3:36 pm

Re: Moving to hastings

Postby Richard » Thu Sep 29, 2016 12:09 pm

Best move I've ever made - so much to see and do and loads of friendly people!
Hastings manages to have something for everyone, if you look for it you will find it.
Of course it takes time to discover some of the contacts and opportunities. but that is part of the fun!
I never tire of Hastings despite a few dodgy types and rough characters who beg on the streets and some 'cowboy' trades men who give the rest a bad name.
If you want to find a reasonable trades-person then just ask at the plumbing or decorators' merchants counter for a contact and they generally come up with a good one, as they generally know who is more reliable.
:)

Ali0141
Posts: 3
Joined: Fri Feb 16, 2018 2:17 am

Re: Moving to hastings

Postby Ali0141 » Fri Feb 16, 2018 2:33 am

Hi, We are hoping to move to Hastings from Glasgow in a couple of years. Family commitments are keeping us here meantime. My brother lives in Brighton, and we visited Hastings while on a family visit last year - completely fell in love with it. Have been looking online at properties for sale , and they seem to vary massively. We are not bothered about schools as we have no children. My thought was quite near the town centre, as it's near the seafront (if we're making such a big move to live by the sea, then we might as well live near the sea front), but the properties seem to be really cheap, and have read that it's a bit dodgy, so not sure about that. Does anyone have any advice for a couple in their 50s who want to live near the sea front??

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Richard
Posts: 3347
Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2014 3:36 pm

Re: Moving to hastings

Postby Richard » Fri Feb 16, 2018 8:48 pm

The sea-front is very exposed to the elements in Winter-time and the town centre can be both noisy and busy, with cafe's and bars and shops, by day and night, plus many roads and too much traffic!
Look for somewhere within easy access and be prepared to spend some time getting the 'look and feel' of the place before jumping in.
Consider renting for a while as a chance to gauge the locality, a place near a tranquil public Park or open space, set back a little from the sea-front in a residential area, is more relaxing and useful for dog-walking.
Also visit the Estate Agents and make them work for you, present a list of top priorities, of boxes to be ticked, a garden space is useful but you won't find much of that in the old town where prices are much higher.
St Leonards sea-front beaches are quiet even in mid-summer but you may be better off in areas away from the busy road that runs along there.
Somewhere higher up within walking distance and near shops and cafe's but maybe not right in among them.
A lot of the older Victorian properties are cheap enough but will cost a lot of time and money to maintain / repair as they have typically been neglected down the years.
Think things through carefully and use common-sense rather than rushing into anything on a whim.
The trouble with common-sense is that it is not very common at all.
Good Luck also!
:)

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seahermit
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Joined: Sat Aug 26, 2017 10:53 pm

Re: Moving to hastings

Postby seahermit » Fri Feb 16, 2018 11:22 pm

I live near the seafront in quite a decent cul-de-sac, up the St Leonards end, but I am lucky - the tall buildings all along the seafront into Hastings are very variable. A few are hotels/apartments but a number are let out into bedsits/flats and it is noticeable that they seem to change occupants pretty regularly. It's not the best part of Hastings and consequently both rental and purchase prices are cheap!

There are much nicer areas near to Alexandra Park in Hastings, also in the old Victorian residential parts of St Leonards away from the seafront (west of London Road). But you do need to visit if you can, walk around and get the feel of the place. In some streets, old broken bits of furniture dumped out will tell you all you need to know about the area, whereas other tree-lined streets are really nice! Maybe identify streets you are interested in and canvas opinions here later on the forum. Ask as many locals as you can, they know best.


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