Isle of Wight - taking the plunge!

Good for you, time for ourselves rather than our DCs! I hope you love it.

You are right. I think this is our last chance to make the leap. We will put ourselves first fir the first time ever!

All the concerns that you raised Oopsadaisy are things we have thought about so it will take a few more trips to check everything out. I’ll keep asking around.
Thank you, wise words x

Sometimes I feel old but I’m sure making a great change will be rejuvenating! Thank you x

Before you go, forget about the prices of property being lower, they are usually lower for a reason.
Despite the Yacht club the Island is quite poor.
Check all the things that are important to you and see how they are rated, if you need to visit hospitals regularly, check the ratings, it’s a bit of a faff having to get a ferry each time to go accross to the mainland. Do you like driving down small country lanes ? Do you mind lots of tourist clogging the roads during the holiday season? The cost of living is higher for example.
Check out Libraries, see how they are rated.
Oh and be prepared for lots of Gransnetters popping over to you for a long weekend!
If you go, I hope you will love it, I have fond memories of going accross the water for some holidays and days out when we lived in Southampton, but travelling there recently I wasn’t impressed.

If it was possible ( it isn’t) then we would certainly like to live there, so if you have no reasons to not do it, then go for it!?

DO IT! We missed the boat our chance a few years ago after Mum died. We dithered then finally decided to stay on the mainland for various reasons.

We were silly to think that family would find it harder to visit because now the DGCs have grown up they have uni/jobs/girlfriends etc., so we hardly ever see them. We should have put ourselves first!

We'll be visiting again in September and I bet I'll be mentally putting our place on the market all the way home.

Good Luck. I envy you.

I'd do it in a heartbeat, if it wasn't so far from the GC. A neighbour retired to the island some years ago and said that the only downside was that the roads are packed with tourist traffic and caravans in the main summer school holidays. A small price to pay for living in such a beautiful area, I think. And yes, residents on the island do get reduced cost ferry travel.

You aren’t old! If you have concerns, maybe about practicalities like the cost of leaving the island, could you rent for a year to be certain you enjoy living there in all the seasons? Wishing you well with your decision making. We moved to a new area when we were just a little older than you and your husband, if it he,os we are pleased we did it then as energy was greater.

As a resident, would you get discounted travel back to the mainland?

Your time of life!!! You are young middle age that is all - high time for a new adventure. Go for it! Have fun.