wanting to buy a small house in rural Northumberland.

I live in the next county and have had a look at estate agents sites. It is possible to buy a house for your budget but would probably not be detached or in a quiet area. I was amazed to see how prices have risen, £600,000 is not unusual now, I think southerners sometimes buy up north because they get a lot more for their money.

I don't think you'll have a problem if you want to be out in the sticks. Anything with a sea view is horribly horrendous. I actually love the area around Berwick [and Berwick itself]. If you have an idea about which area you'd like to be we could check it out for you. Some friends from our village are moving up there and we were able to warn them that one house they were interested in was in a flood area. I do know someone who has lots of animals; they live out by Duns [sp]. The S.O. is up there now and I'm going up next week for a couple of weeks. Don't have a computer up there but my pad thingy works after a fashion. I do find up there that there is a community spirit that seems to be lacking in a lot of places, and there always seems to be something going on in the village hall etc. The downside is you might have me for a neighbour some of the time.

Tegan, whilst you are up there, please find me a lovely seaside cottagey type house for around £50,000 lol. It really is a lovely part of the country and I do quite fancy a move amd would be very happy (I think) to have you as a neighbour!

It is beautiful; had I not met the S.O. I doubt if I would ever have discovered the place. The sad thing is though, he's up there having a log burner installed, one of the reasons being that we wanted our old dog to have a nice time lying in front of it, but I'm not sure she's going to be around to enjoy it. The place has been rented out throughout the summer and we've had some lovely messages in the visitors book. I felt a bit raw at the thought of other people being there but I'm so pleased that other people have enjoyed it, especially one little girl who wrote that it was 'like a home from home' .

I too am just across the county border of Northumberland TriciaF and we spend a lot of time in and around Northumberland and the borders. Some lovely little villages but it depends how isolated you are prepared to be. I would need a little shop and maybe a pub at the least but there are plenty of lovely places. Have a look at an estate agent called George F white who has a lot of Northumberland properties on his books. I love Bamburgh and Alnwick and all the little villages around that area. Gorgeous village called Rennington ( might be pricey) and Paxton village just over the borders . Too many to mention . I am sooooo jealous
The Northumberland weather might be a bit different to what you are currently used to though .

northumberland featured on Location etc., recently with a budget about 200k, some lovely properties and it looked a very scenic place to live, my sil from Newcastle says it's beautiful but, not for southern birds, like me, who sit on a radiator the whole of winter

They're filming Transformers5 in Bamburgh today [and yesterday]. Cars, drones and famous people everywhere. Anthony Hopkins just walked down the street by all accounts. And I should have been there but have a hospital appointment. Grrrr

Log onto Rightmove, put in your requurements and budget and see what comes up. Tegan or someone else could then give you any insight they might have.

Are you really sure you want to be out in the sticks?

Or living in a very cold place?

Tegan are you prepared to spend at least a few days each winter snowed in? Many of the most remote places in Northumberland are sometimes, even those within easy traveling distance of the main cities. If you don't mind that's fine but if you are concerned you might be better off in one of the smaller villages. Good luck!

Oh dear, this is making me so homesick! We do want to be out in the sticks, and in a lot of ways would love the colder weather. Our border collie would too. We had a place in the Scottish highlands for a few years and managed ok in the winter, even when snowed in. (apart from the short days.)
I realise though that we'll have to sell our place here first, and that won't be easy.
Anyway thanks for all the suggestions, and I'll be following them up.
I had a few holidays in Bamburgh as a child, with a cousin's family, and would prefer the coast, but already know it's outside our budget.

I'm just a fair weather Northumberlander trish! When we were doing the house up in the spring I took 3 hot water bottles to bed with me each night!

Wark in the North Tyne valley is lovely Tricia.
It has a little health centre, several shops and at least a couple of good pubs.
The Tyne Valley villages like Wylam are popular now with young professionals and have become quite expensive.

Just a thought but there are some properties in Bamburgh that are specifically for older people. We were quite interested in one ourselves [it has a lovely stone wall in the garden]. Because it was to be second home we couldn't buy it. That particular one has now sold but there is usually another one for sale.It's not your typical 'older persons estate' sort of thing. I know they're small, but they're right in the centre of Bamburgh and, as I said before, there is so much to do in the village all year round. If we were going to live there permanently we'd certainly consider one of them.

Jane A - I know Wark, my Auntie Nellie lived there in her (nearly) last years, visited her a few times. She died aged 101 in a Home in Hexham. It is worth looking into.
Tegan - are those properties in Bamburgh for retired people on a scheme where you don't actually own it? I was looking at some in the SE, near our eldest daughter, being promoted for that.
Have to look it up from an email.

No, I can't find it.
The scheme is for retired people who already have a property which they could use as security. The houses for sale are at a reduced price, but you don't have full ownership.

You own 80% of the house I think. They're only @£110,000 but to say they're in a prime location is an understatement. I also like Amble and that area; house prices are cheaper but I think it's an up and coming area.

Have a look at Rothbury Tricia it's a lovely village with a few more rural properties on the outskirts . Making me with I could live there too.

Yes Tegan my son and grandson are up in Bamburgh as they are both Transformer mad .

How much have you got to spend Tricia. This one is gorgeous.
here it is

Sorry, just saw your budget, that one is a bit pricey. I would love it though.

Just heard that they've closed the walk in centre down at Rothbury [not that that's important].

They have closed walk in centres everywhere Tegan including the one serving my ( quite large) town. No wonder A and E is overflowing !

Yes, I remember Rothbury too. During the war my cousin's family (the same ones as I joined in Bamburgh) was evacuated from Newcastle to Rothbury. 4 girl cousins. They had a house up on the hill above the town. We used to go to a little village school. A lovely house, HildaJenni, but as you say, beyond our reach!
I was also evacuated earlier, with my Mum, to Bardon Mill, which is in the south of the county.

Lots of nice villages around Amble and the Coquet Valley that are not too expensive. Alnwick itself, or Warkworth with that lovely castle to look at, Embleton on the coast, Beadnell, Druridge.
Happy hunting. Hope you sell your house quickly.