Property: If you move out to the sticks today

Many townies dream of a new life in the countryside, with more space, less pollution, better schools and no crime. But what is the reality really like? By Fiona Brandhorst

FOR A fully paid-up townie, living in the country full-time has limited appeal. Country cottages and undulating fields of oil-seed rape are the stuff of weekend breaks. Yet every year thousands move to the country. But what gives people the push and just how easy is it to change the habits of urban life?

More space for less money is why Teresa Ward and Roger Schnider sold their one bedroom flat in north London and headed south to Hastings in Sussex almost four years ago. "We house-sat for a friend and we were sold on it," says Teresa. "The only downside was the awful din of the seagulls."

They sold their flat in Stroud Green for pounds 60,000 and bought the second house they viewed - a five-bedroom, unmodernised, Victorian terraced house - for just pounds 46,000.

"It had been empty for two years and didn't have central heating or hot water, but it gave us a blank canvas to work on without having to deal with anyone else's bodges," says Teresa. As they both work from home - Teresa is a journalist/ stylist and Roger is the owner/ publisher of Pickpocket Books - they could each have their own office, and the children love the long garden.

"We have views of the sea and the castle while we work," says Teresa. "We wouldn't have moved here if we had to commute back to London every day, that would be horrendous."

Hastings has a reputation for bad transport links - London is one hour and 40 minutes by train, two-and-a-half-hours by car - and high unemployment. These factors contribute to lower property prices.

"Ironically, our flat would have increased more in value than our house," Teresa adds, "but we have the surroundings and the space we wanted and we pay peanuts."

So what do they miss most about London? "The shops," says Teresa. "I have to go to London for retail therapy. And half-day closing took getting used to. Roger is very urban, but we'd never move back."

Jill and Kieron Robinson's advice for anyone contemplating a move to the country is: "Don't rush into it. Think about it for a couple of years." Jill adds: "We both had a country upbringing, so we wanted the same for our children."

The Robinsons moved to Suffolk (still a commutable distance from London as Kieron jointly runs a contracting business in the City) last autumn, a year ahead of their original plans. "We thought we'd start narrowing down areas with good schools," says Jill. "But the school we liked warned us that there may not be any spaces if we waited until our eldest daughter was seven."

At around the same time they received the details of a house that seemed exactly to fit what they were looking for - a six-bedroom, Suffolk-pink farmhouse, with one acre of land. "We viewed the house once for 20 minutes and we were both smitten," recalls Jill.

They offered the asking price of pounds 205,000 and raced back to London to put their three-bedroom Victorian semi on the market for pounds 139,950. Although it went under offer within a week, the chain subsequently broke down a few weeks later.

"We were all geared up for the move and had mentally made the break," says Jill. "No other properties had come up, so we set up a bridging loan and exchanged contracts with the house in Suffolk." They moved with mixed feelings, as they still hadn't found a buyer for their London house and Kieron continued to live there during the week until it was finally sold in November.

"When I was first left on my own in Suffolk I was absolutely petrified at night," says Jill. "It was pitch black and I never realised how much noise there was in the country with the trees rustling and the owls hooting. I was also worried about fitting in with the locals but about half the people here are ex-Londoners and everyone's been welcoming."

Has anything surprised them about their move? "The village shop is so well stocked with everything from wellies to rabbit food." They were prepared for driving a lot more. In London, Jill walked the children to school, now they have a five-mile drive along country roads. The library is five miles away, the nearest swimming pool 10 miles. They have also had to buy a third car.

"Kieron needs to get to the station and I need to get the children to school, so we need a back-up," says Jill.

Richard Stewart, of Marshall Warren estate agents in Woodbridge, Suffolk, says that 65 per cent of the houses they sell are to clients moving from London and the Home Counties, most of whom will commute regularly to London.

"People are looking at paying less for a good deal more," he says. "We get a lot of letters as a first point of contact and they are very realistic about their expectations and are looking in very defined areas."

Jill Robinson has put her job as a freelance textile designer on hold until they have broken the back of house renovations. "Life is so much less stressful here. In London we could never escape from people and noise and it was really getting to us. We moved here for a better life. When I open the curtains in the morning and see the sun rising across the fields, I know it's all been worth it."

Marshall Warren 01394 380800