A parking space changed everything

Annabel Lee and her partner wanted to buy their first home in Oxford, where they had lived for five years.

Her hometown was the obvious choice

The agent suggested smaller towns outside Oxford. Lee's hometown was twenty five minutes away. Her parents lived there, and she had grown up there, so it was the obvious choice for their move.

She had wanted to escape as a teenager

Lee remembered growing up feeling bored and like she could not wait to move somewhere else. At first she resisted the idea of moving back, feeling it was a cop-out. But the maths made sense.

A house with a garden won her over

For their budget, the agent showed them a house with parking and a garden, rather than a tiny flat with no outside space.

Twelve years later, she is raising her kids there

Lee moved back to her hometown twelve years ago.She is now raising her own children in the same town where she grew up.At first she worried it was unadventurous and lacked culture and city life.

Her son is autistic and needs childcare

As her children grew older, Lee realised how lucky she was.Her son is autistic and it is hard to find childcare.

She has made new roots as an adult

Lee is still close with old friends who stayed local.She has made new friends and feels part of the community.

The downsides are worth the benefits

There are downsides like a lack of culture, but Lee is happy to travel for events and trips.

“there's no perfect living arrangement, but it's a constant weighing up of the pros and cons”