German- based MNers! Bad Homburg FFM - all advice welcome!

[HmmHaa]

So DH has been offered a job just outside Frankfurt, and now we have to choose somewhere to live!

After relentless googling, the area of Bad Homburg keeps coming up. My criteria is somewhere with easy access to Frankfurt itself and to an airport, but with enough going on in the actual area to keep me happy day to day. Open to suggestions.

We have a 2 yr old DD, and I am giving up my work (and social life 😭) when we move, so I suppose I am worried about being lonely or isolated.

Would be very grateful for any advice at all on whether this is a good option, or any advice about moving to this general area at all!

Thanks in hope.

[HmmHaa]

Quick bump!

[funklymydear]

You have chosen a super area to move to

The whole Taunus region is good. Bad Homburg is one of the bigger towns with lots going on, but there is also Königstein, Bad Soden, Hofheim, Kelkheim and others.

There is the British Club and American International Womens Club.

All depends on how long you see yourself staying here and whether you do already speak german or want to learn. Also if you see your daughter learning.

Hope that helps.

[funklymydear]

If you would like to PM me, please feel free.

[HmmHaa]

Thanks for that - very reassuring! We will probably only stay for a year but I am determined to learn German (don't speak a word yet, but am starting lessons now!) and would love DD to as well. I just foresee being on my own a bit when we first move, so need things to do.
We will also have lots of family and friends visiting, so would like to have easy things nearby yet good links to the city and the airport.
Am quite excited now! What's the cost of living like?

[ShanghaiDiva]

Your DD will pick up German really quickly if you put her in Kindergarten and it's also a good opportunity for you to meet people too.
I am still friends with people I met at mums and tots group in Germany and DS is nearly 16.

[MangosteenSoda]

The Taunus is lovely! Join Mothers' Corner. You can do this by joining either the British Club or the American Women's Club as it serves the members of both clubs. It's a great way for you to meet other English speakers in similar situations.

It can be quite hard to find property to rent as it's a popular area and there's limited stock on the market at any one time. Check out immobilienscout24 for an idea of prices. Haus / Wohnung = house / flat. They are usually described by number of rooms not inlcluding bathroom or kitchen. So a 4 Zimmer property will have kitchen, bathroom(s) and 4 other rooms, most likely a reception room and 3 bedrooms. It's normal in Germany for rentals to come with no fitted kitchen, but IME pricier properties usually come with kitchen included. All the houses we looked at came with a fitted kitchen. It will be listed as EBK in the ads.

I'd decide what amount of space you need and what your budget is then look at all of the available properties that fit your criteria over a number of Taunus towns. Bad Homburg (the biggest), Oberursel, Bad Soden, Hofheim, Kelkheim, Königstein, Kronburg. You should be ok in any of them.

There are a lot of options for kindergartens, particularly if you are happy to use a local one. English Lang ones which spring to mind are TIMS, RIMS and Phorms.

There is a language school in Königstein- can't remember the name. VHS courses can be found in most towns which are very good value for money state run ones. Loads of language schools in Frankfurt, but I think that would be awkward with a toddler. It's possible to get a private teacher to come to your house too.

[HmmHaa]

Thanks so much, all! Great information!
We might get a chance to pop over there in half term (I am a teacher) so it will all be a bit clearer, I hope.
Interesting to know about the rental situation and language school - particularly interested in childcare as well.
Does anyone have any experience of putting a non-German speaking child into kindergarten? I really want her to learn a bit of German, but feels a bit cruel to go cold turkey full immersion! (PFB - can you tell?!)

Anyway, thanks so much for all the info - it is really helping. Will definitely join those clubs as well.

[ShanghaiDiva]

I put my son into Kindergarten and we only speak English at home so he only knew how to say please, thank you and I need the loo!
He was fine and the teachers were used to supporting children where German was not their first language/not spoken at home as there was a large Turkish community near us.

[Welshcake77]

I live in Bad Homburg feel free to PM me if you want to chat. I love it here, it's great for families. I've been in Germany for 16 years and moved here five years ago. There's a large expat community and I have a few English speaking friends who have their kids in German speaking kindergarten and schools with no problems. Kindergarten is free in bad Homburg, but you will only get a space once your DD turns three and if you don't work, then you might find it more difficult to get a space but will do eventually.

Would you have a housing allowance with the job? Rents are high in Bad Homburg, but check out immobilienscout.de for an idea.

If you make it over at half term and want to meet up, give me a shout, would be happy to show you around.

[LoveJLN]

Hi Guys, I know this is an old thread but i'm moving out to Frankfurt with my husband and 15 month old daughter in March and would love to touch base with expats locally.

Bad Homberg looks to be the place to move so i'd love any advice (if new and different from whats above)

We're in our early 30s and sociable. Like healthy eating (plus booze) and would love access to nice health club, nursery bars and restaurants etc.

We also have 2 dogs. Does anyone know if there's doggy day care anywhere in Bad Homburg? Is it a German thing?

Thanks for any help in advance

xx

[Welshcake77]

Hi! I don’t think much has changed from the above, it’s still a great place to live but still not easy to find a house. Rents are steadily increasing as demand grows. I’m afraid you might have difficulty finding a landlord happy to accept two dogs (we don’t have pets that’s just what I’ve heard from others).

I can’t answer your question re dog day care, but you’ll find everything else in Bad Homburg. There is a David Lloyd gym on the outskirts of town and a 7/11 in the town centre with plenty of others nearby. Lots of good restaurants, a few bars with loads on your doorstep in Frankfurt!
Will you both be working? If yes, you should be able to get into a state nursery but demand is high and you may need to wait a while. If one of you isn’t working then you’d have to look at private nurseries which aren’t as expensive as in the UK.
You might also want to have a look at the Expatbabies Frankfurt group on FB. There’s bound to be someone on there who can help with the dog day care.

[Fizzyhedgehog]

We're moving to Neu Anspach in March, which is about 20 minutes from Bad Homburg (but we can actually afford property there). DS is going to a private, bilingual nursery. It's about as much as his nursery in the UK.
Not sure about the doggy day care bit. If renting, it might be an idea to look at places a little further out and with outdoor space.
Need to make some friends with children. My mum is very unhappy with me speaking English (instead of German) with DS...but then, who else is meant to do it? I used to speak German to him in the UK because there was nobody else, either.

[terribletwosome]

Hi
I am jumping on here as also in the process of potentially moving to Frankfurt with my husbands job -we are weighing up living in Frankfurt itself vs Bad Homburg etc -we have 3 sons aged 14,12 and 10. Also does anyone have sny experience if moving with teenagers and what life is like for teenagers in these areas ?! Would really appreciate any input !