If dh gets a job at Warwick Uni, where should we live?

[lotuseener]

Dh has an interview next month at Warwick Uni. If he were to get the job, we know nothing of the area and currently live in a small village near Edinburgh, and before that Colchester, Essex (the US before that). I would really love never to live in a village again. We would be looking to rent a 3 bedroom property and have 2 dc's age 2 and 4 1/2. We wouldn't have the time or money to be thouroughly exploring the area so I am wondering what places mn'ers would recommend. Thanks!

[lotuseener]

PS- We wouldn't fancy more than a 30 minute commute and would hope for somewhere that is a little more alive and diverse than where we currently are!

[GeekLove]

Tile Hill is a good place - Canley is nearer but is a bit rough in places. Both area are quite cheap and have plenty of mod cons. Chet Semite and Finham are a little further but are slightly nicer. If you are planning on living out of Coventry Kenilworth is popular but a bit pricey.

[lotuseener]

Thanks. I saw plenty of Tile Hill properties but most of them said student houses only. The letting prices in Leamington Spa almost made me fall out of my chair. I was thinking that £675pcm would be the very most we would pay and would hope for something decent with a garden. If he gets the job affer I would like to narrow down some areas that would be nice to live in. Geel Love is one of my favourite books.

[brambleschooks]

Leamington spa is the best place, but it's gone so much more pricey lately as ive found. Kenilworth is also great but quieter. Do your research on areas in Coventry very carefully. Enjoy. Dads just retired from Warwick after over 40 years there.

[deepbreath]

I know a few people that live in the Allesley/Keresley/Coundon area and work either at the Uni or near to it. It isn't that far away if you go up the A45, certainly within half an hour by car. I agree that you will need to choose your area carefully, as some parts of the city are highly populated by students or can be a bit rough.

[deepbreath]

This area isn't too far away: Mount Nod

[lotuseener]

Maybe I should be asking which are the places to absolutely avoid? I am hoping for somewhere that is affordable rent, nice schools that are not overcrowded do the dc's can get into our catchment and isn't a village. I just have a feeling that dh is going to get this job and we will be looking to move by the end of summer....

[ivykaty44]

village = stoneliegh or Leek Wotton
Town = leamington or warwick

schools = all saints, leek wotton or coton end (warwick along emscote road) or telford (lillington just north of leamington) are the most popular junior/infant schools in the area and are all decent

[ivykaty44]

avoid Coventry, Nuneaton, Bedworth - sorry to people that live there

[ivykaty44]

Kenilworth is ok and your dh could cycle to work with great ease

[ivykaty44]

this house

The area is lovely and peaceful, but you are on a bus route and very easy in the morning to get on A46 to go to the uni. You are 20 minutes walk to either leamingotn or warwick town center.

[ivykaty44]

I wouldn't touch this with a barge pole as the immediate area is dire

[ivykaty44]

this might be a comprimise but you must be aware of the sewage smell in summer at times, but very close to uni, very close to Kenilworth and Coventry city center so may be ok

[lotuseener]

Wow thanks ivy!

[BertieBotts]

Leamington is a larger town than Warwick or Kenilworth, though neither feel villagey, they can be a bit boring for teenagers if you are there long term. North of the river is expensive, South of the river is very hit and miss. If you do look South of the river, I'd aim for the catchment area of Clapham Terrace primary as some of the other schools in the area aren't as nice, unless you're willing to look at private or St Anthony's which is Catholic. Lots of nice schools in North Leam, Warwick and Kenilworth though. :)

[BertieBotts]

Oh yes avoid Lillington, Sydenham, Tachbrook areas. Sydenham in particular is a special kind of concrete hell.

[BertieBotts]

(In/around Leamington)

[ivykaty44]

You're welcome - I love a bit of house porn and given a reason to snoop is even better!

[TheMitfordsMaid]

My children are the same age as yours, and we live in the town with the same name at th university. If you end up this way, let me know if you fancy meeting up in the park for a play.

ivy, I am your name-changing gym member!

[ivykaty44]

Noth Lillingotn and Bishops tachbrook are ok. I would agree on avoiding sydenham and chesington heights near asda

[ivykaty44]

I saw you last week in the changing room....?

[lotuseener]

The last time we moved ds2 was 3 weeks old. We had never been to Scotland but dh's 1st real job post-uni demanded that he start asap. So we moved after finding a rental house online and ended up in an assbackwards village outside of Edinburgh which has given me an awful attitude towards villages in general.We are mixed race family from the US which means we stand out a bit anyways, which is why it is important to me to find a place that is at least a bit diverse. If he gets the job we will probably be able to afford one trip down to check out the area/view rental properties. I'd like to have an idea of where to look before we go and hopefully not end up in the situation we were in last time, taking whatever we can get without any knowledge of the area.

[ivykaty44]

I don't think you would have any problems with being mixed race family in leamington, warwick or Coventry my dd2 has at a guess 5-6 friends who are mixed race at school in leamington

[BertieBotts]

South of the river Leam is very diverse, as is Coventry in general, but nowhere is so overbearingly white-and-english that you wouldn't fit in, I don't think. I don't know much about the smaller villages but you've said you wanted to avoid them. North Leamington is quite middle class, if that makes a difference.

Google maps should give an idea of where a place is in relation to towns/cities/the university, and/or how big a village it is. Leamington and Coventry are your major places for shopping, Warwick and Stratford for touristy stuff. Leamington train station is on a main line. Kenilworth and Warwick both have markets. There is also Rugby, which is cheaper, but parts of it aren't that nice.

Another notorious area to avoid off the top of my head is the Coventry Hillfields area.

Anything else you want to know? :) If you are planning any more children, Warwick Hospital is supposed to be better than Coventry for giving birth.

[MWestie]

I used to work at Warwick Uni and lots of colleagues lived in Kenilworth and Leamington, also areas on uni side of a45 in coventry eg Earlsdon, Eastern Green, Allesley. I would personally avoid Canley and some parts of Tile Hill arent that great (apologies to anyone there).