At a crossroads.... need to make decision

[Anon for confidentiality]

Don’t know what to do…

The family are selling their home where I have lived for nearly 15 years and looking to up sticks and move for various reasons. So, I have a few choices, which I am finding really difficult to decide between…. So, please can someone give me a kick up the ar*e and make me decide as I really need to make some decisions!!

Ok,

Option 1: find a flat to rent and carry on in current boring and mind numbing job. Horses haven’t got much grazing and no facilities.. however friends are here and I feel secure in my home town.

Option 2: work way around current purchase of French house (which is having a few problems)… move horses to france onto 10 acres. Get a job as an estate agent. However, most of our money would be on the house leaving not much to live on so we would have to find work quickly.. also, unemployment is high there. I can speak French ok, but, am really not liking the horsey community and attitude… wont have any friends apart from my horses…

Option 3: move to Devon, buy a block of land and follow my dream of setting up a natural livery yard.. can speak the language.. will have friends.. on the downside… planning permission may not allow us to have mobile home/build house and business.. so there is always a risk it may all fall through and I would be homeless with my horses… I am worried about security issues with the horses in light of the recent horse thefts.. but on the plus side, at least 1 person would always be around as we would be working at home.

As you can tell my horses are a major priority!

Hmmm… I have gone anon, but you probably would have worked out who I am though.. just in case anyone from my work comes on here I have to keep pretty anonymous..

Thanks for any advice..

[jenna]

Personally, I'd plump for option 2. Take the risk, but aim for a dream.

My parents moved to France many years ago (just after I left home - don't think they wanted me coming back!) an it's taken them a long time to be accepted into the community and to feel really at home.


The big question though, is what do you REALLY want to do? Ask yourself where you would like to be in 5 or 10 years time?

[touchstone]

Just to add to the confusion, I'd opt for Devon. If you don't do it now, when will the opportunity come along again? The way you've described France put me off, I think you've answered your own question there. The employment issue would be a concern I think.
At least in Devon you'd still have family and friends in the same country, so would have access to a support system. Look into planning perission before you make any offers on the land, then at least you'll have an idea of what you can/can't do.
Why stay put in your home town if you aren't feeling happy? Take the opportunity you've got and enjoy!

[milo]

definetly devon, i live here and its lovely, you can have caravan on your land to look after your horses as its mobile but check with local council planning about mobile home depends how much land youve got or want to buy,small parcels of land are very pricey but hey give it a go where very friendly down here you know and theres some lovely livery stables around whilst you make up your mind.

[karen]

move to devon find livery yard for horses, find jobs and accomodation for yourself, work on getting business up and running later when you have finally settled here. The land is pricey, cost of living high, jobs-take what you can get for pretty poor wages, my husband and i did it this way and have never looked back. We moved here from the midlands 5 years ago, made friends in no time at all, done all manner of jobs (still trying to settle in one but hubby is happy in his) and have horses at a loveley yard with fantastic facilities and no responsibility other than their welfare and paying the rent on time.

[amma]

well done karen. made a similar move myself 2 years ago. up sticks , moved kids and horses to a new county. found a good livery yard, after couple of false starts ( and tears) found jobs, kids settled in at school. best thing we could have done. we know have our own field bought at auction a short time ago. just need to get planning permission now.

[amma]

Anon, at least you xcan exclude option 1. it has to be either Devon or France. speaking the language is a big +

[percypony]

Just my opinions...
Def not option 1! Take this opportunity to move on.
Option 3 is very unlikely to happen. Councils are not daft otherwise we would all be doing something similar! I think you will be caught up with the planning permission side of thigs with that one.
That leaves option 2. Scary, but you will know people. you know the language and will pick up the collequial (sp!) talk very quickly. Def this option for me.
Good luck whatever you decide!
S x

[Rose21]

Thanks all for your advice.. it is much appreciated!!

It is just so hard to make up my mind as both moves have good and bad points and for the sake of my horses.. i dont want to be moving them around all the time.

Re Devon... Who do i need to contact re siting mobile homes.. I just had an email back from the planning department of Devon saying the Local planning authority.. local council? Should i pick an area and then just email them?

[karen]

i would pick an area and PHONE. The council are notorious for passing the buck and emails are pretty easy to dismiss! good luck and let us know...