Move to Warwickshire

[WhereToMove2020]

Good morning everyone,

I got a job in Coventry and we need to relocate. I am looking for advice of where to move.

Are there any good areas in Coventry itself? From looking at previous threads I haven't seen anything positive.

We have a budget of around 240k so not huge and would like 3 bedrooms.

We have looked at Nuneaton and Southam. We would be able to afford quite nice houses there I think. There are also some in Leamington Spa but they'd be significantly smaller than in the other places. Are there any areas there to avoid?

Our criteria are basically 3 bedrooms, small garden, parking, ok commute to Coventry. We don't mind about the high street so much or anything. We would also be very happy with a village.

Does anyone have any advice, recommendations, areas to definitely avoid?

Thank you!

Coleshill is a beautiful village have a look it's got everything you need.

Sorry, but I’m going to add another voice to the Nuneaton / Bedworth / North Warks majority. Grim.

you have primary age children some areas of Warwickshire still have the 11+. Rugby does and so does Stratford

The grammar schools here are located in Rugby and Stratford but the priority area is a lot wider than those towns so I wouldn’t worry too much about that, OP. All primary and secondary priority areas are the council websites anyway.

Thank you everyone, I really appreciate how much advice I have been given. I will have to read this and digest it a bit.

Is the job a great opportunity? It is not much of a change to what we do now really. But it would be a secure job.
We live in an area now where we will not be able to buy a family home, despite both of us working in professional well paid jobs. It is just too expensive where we live. Maybe in 10, 15 years who knows but prices are too high to get a deposit. So this would be our opportunity to go somewhere where we could have a garden and more space. So I feel like I need to consider it for my family really. It's not something we will definitely go through with but an appealing option.

Just for reference, a 3 bedroom house here, even in the grottiest area, is almost impossible to get for even 350k. Really more likely to be 400k.

Earlsdon, Finham and styvechale are expensive, Cheylesmore is getting expensive too. Chapelfields is close to earlsdon but cheaper, look at allesley, allesley park, coundon.

It's a city, a small city but a city, lots of diversity, good cultural events, lots to do

We are in the Stratford area too, it’s fairly pricy here as are Kenilworth and Warwick. Unless maybe Warwick gates which is a big estate and slightly cheaper.
Avoid Nuneaton like the plague!!!! Coventry isn’t much better but villages around are ok, like balsall common, Meriden, fillonngly isn’t too bad. Southam is fine. Look at Alcester and Salford Priors.
Maybe look a villages north just into Leicester such as earl Shilton, Stoke Golding, Higham on the hill, Stapleton, all on A5 so easy to commute.

11+ has big priority area but distance plays a part: example DS1 got 2 under the automatic qualifying score for school. Because we are further away we are still 14th on waiting list do it's not going to happen: all the kids on his score are prioritised by distance to school. It's a brutal process!

OP, why not post some Rightmove houses that take your fancy and we can help out? I know secondary schools in the area quite well as I teach. Bilton School in Rugby is improving but has struggled and the grammar system doesn't help. The 3 Rugby Grammars all have lower entry scores than the 3 South Warwickshire ones though, so that helps!

Dunchurch and round there is nice. Be careful around Weston-under-Wetherley as HS2 is clattering up through that end of Leamington, up and over towards Balsall Common and into Birmingham SE side.

Warwick Gates you might get a deal on the new houses? They're not cheap, but there's bloody millions of them (HUGE development) so might be worth trying it. They're building a new primary and state secondary schools are decent as well as grammar options.

bloody millions of them (HUGE development)

I swear you can drive round that way and just blink and there’s another property. Houses are spreading faster than Japanese knotweed.

I don't know who is buying them all, I really don't!!!

Loads are on at ridiculous prices, I look at them and think "pfft, yeah right"

Would you consider Leicestershire? According to Google maps, Market Harborough is 45 minutes to Coventry. I can provide no useful information as I’m not a local, but I’ve enjoyed mooching there occasionally - seems nice.

I agree with everyone’s suggestions so far. I’ll add Eastern Green, mount nod to the list too. Close to the A45 which will take you over to the hospital in one direction and Birmingham in the other and close to Kenilworth Leamington and Solihull.

I live near Finham and there can be the odd bargain, but it's one of the nicer areas. South cov is a lot nicer than central/north. Check out the crime stats though. Awful lot going on right now, so you might be better looking further out.

Prices are going up with the City of Culture thing going on. We're looking to move but hanging on for a few more years. Probably to Tile Hill or Binley. There's some lovely villages Rugby way but the town itself is a bit grim. Nuneaton is a shithole.

Leamington/Warwick is way out of your price bracket. I moved from there to here to get more for the money.

And just a wee niggle: Coventry is now West Midlands, not Warwickshire

We live in an area now where we will not be able to buy a family home, despite both of us working in professional well paid jobs. It is just too expensive where we live.

I’ve lived in Warwickshire for my entire life - Leam currently, Stratford before. We have a one bed worth more than your budget... we’ve got a mortgage in principle for £350k and can’t find a two bed around Leam, Warwick or Stratford within budget. We’ve been looking for a year now. Covid hasn’t so far affected prices negatively really.

Warwick Gates might be an option but I don’t think you’ll get a three bed, maybe a 2 if they struggle to sell. There’s a lot of demand here.

I love the area, but we’re considering moving Birmingham way as you get more for your money by far... if your motivation is to get a decent family home in a nice area, I don’t think here seems any better than where you are, unless there’s potential for a decent increase in budget or settling for flats/less bedrooms/both.

My cousin lives in Chapelfields! Nooooo!!! Rough! Her mum, my aunt lives in nearby Whoberley and I like it there. Another cousin lives in Foleshill which is OK.

There are some lovely suburbs in Coventry, but the crime is actually really shocking at the moment. Regular murders, stabbings and gun crime. All normal now.

@ShellsAndSunrises

We live in an area now where we will not be able to buy a family home, despite both of us working in professional well paid jobs. It is just too expensive where we live.

I’ve lived in Warwickshire for my entire life - Leam currently, Stratford before. We have a one bed worth more than your budget... we’ve got a mortgage in principle for £350k and can’t find a two bed around Leam, Warwick or Stratford within budget. We’ve been looking for a year now. Covid hasn’t so far affected prices negatively really.

Warwick Gates might be an option but I don’t think you’ll get a three bed, maybe a 2 if they struggle to sell. There’s a lot of demand here.

I love the area, but we’re considering moving Birmingham way as you get more for your money by far... if your motivation is to get a decent family home in a nice area, I don’t think here seems any better than where you are, unless there’s potential for a decent increase in budget or settling for flats/less bedrooms/both.

You can't find a two bed in Leam, SoA and Warwick for £350k

There are hundreds

Another cousin lives in Foleshill which is OK

It really isn't. It's one of the most deprived areas of the city.

Blimey there's a nice enough 3 bed near here for £350k. I'm not sure what you're looking for!

Realistically, £300k is what you'll spend on a 3 bed in a decent area in South Warwickshire. If you can push up to that mark you can definitely get closer to what you want like this

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-77904478.html

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-78181417.html

It's nice here.

Just had a mooch on rightmove and if you could stretch to £250K there are a couple of 3 bed semis in Warwick.
As it sounds like you are a first time buyer you'd be able to negotiate perhaps?

Just looked on google maps- Banbury is only 36 minutes from Coventry so worth a look? Lots of houses there within budget.

Or maybe rent for a few months until things are a bit more stable economy- wise and banks are asking for 10% deposits rather than 15%? Or the recession drives down house prices?

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-96032315.html

Or here.

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-74972464.html

Really cheap. Great over subscribed primary school.

Tamworth or surrounding villages along the A5? Loads of lovely rural villages with nearby big shops/schools in Tamworth, Ashby, Hinckley

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-95665169.html

This is what I'd pick if I were you

@Newuser123123, Ryton has a permanent traveller camp there and does have the associated problems that come with it, it's also next to a really busy road.

Kenilworth, Balsall Common, Burton Green are nice, generally villages to the south of Coventry are more pricey than towns & villages to the north.
Earlsdon is great but not many 3 bed houses and it's quite expensive, look at Coundon, it has good schools and is a family area, similarly Allesley, Eastern Green, Mount Nod.