Moving to Sheffield from Switzerland

[RocklovingMom]

Hello Moms from Sheffield,
I am a Mom of two and live in Switzerland. My hubby is born and bread in Sheffield. We might move back to Sheffield in a few months, to take care of my Mother-in -Law.
Have you got some advise on where to move to? Which area is good for a family? Where can I look up houses for rent or buy? What advise do you have? What is important to know?
Greetings from Switzerland

RightMove is probably your best best for looking up houses - On The Market and Zoopla are also fairly good.

Have you visited Sheffield before? I'd try and come for a visit before you decide whether to move. I appreciate that's likely difficult at the moment with restrictions, but there's a world of difference between Switzerland and Sheffield, and it's a big move to make.

I haven't been recently so hopefully someone who has can pop up with good advice and areas to look at, but as someone who moved countries for a similar reason way back when, I'd consider all options very carefully.

As above, use rightmove.co.uk

What’s your budget and intended house size?

TakeYourFinalPosition, htank you so much for your advise!! I have been to Sheffield a few times. But always in the same area (S6, Hilssborough). I am wondering, if there are nicer areas. You know, with less traffic maybe? My Mother-in-Law is over 80 now and I think for her, moving country is not an option. So I think it will be us moving. But I only know Sheffield from holidays and short stays and I never thought about schools and safe areas to live at. The final decision is not yet made :)

Minfilia, I have no idea, what our budget would be. It depends on a lot of factors, really. We are not exactly rich! :) A house with a Granny cottage would be nice. Does that exist? Or are there like super expensive?

Op its not a move I'd want to make have you got dc?
I think your dh commuting would be easier

You’d need something on the outskirts of Sheffield for a house with adjacent cottage, although it’s pretty rare to find them. We saw one last year but the house was up for sale for over £1m.

Hillsborough is almost central Sheffield, almost constantly busy with traffic and doesn’t have many larger houses - its 99% terraced houses with no parking apart from on the street.

West Yorkshire villages might have more of what you’re looking for, but the nice villages are pretty expensive!

Hi OP. I'd recommend south and south west Sheffield. Hillsborough is great but super busy and you will struggle to find the kind of property you're looking for there. As a previous poster said, it is mostly terraced houses and parking is a nightmare.
Lovely areas for families include Millhouses, Totley, Dore and Beauchief, but these are all expensive so it really depends what your budget is. These areas are all great for schools too. These areas are all also fairly near to the Peak District which is great for walking or days out.
Best of luck!

Would it not be easier/cheaper/less disruptive to pay for carers for your mother in law? I really think that making such a move for the sole reason of looking after an elderly relative, while laudable, needs a lot of thought. What happens when she passes away? Would you go back to Switzerland? Could you afford to? Only if you would have come to UK anyway would it be a good idea in my view.

There are some very affluent areas of Sheffield, it has some of the wealthiest areas of the UK. However it does have a good range of prices down to comparatively low and some areas are not particularly desirable but your budget is what it is. If you're used to Swiss prices, you'll probably find UK property prices and the general cost of living quite cheap, but that obviously has to be balanced against lower salaries.

What do you plan to do for work? You might need to think about commuting time and costs.

If you're planning on providing daily care for MIL you need to be nearby, or else you could spend hours each day traveling and not be close by in an emergency.

Your DH must know the city and have an idea about where you could afford to live, more than a bunch of strangers who generally have high expectations about the location they would like to live and the budget to facilitate it.

Does MIL own property that can be sold and contribute towards the cost of a home for everyone? If you want a family home with a self contained unit for MIL you will seriously limit choice but they do exist, they are generally called granny annexes here but you can search for key words on right move so you could try searching for the word granny to cover all bases. But sometimes these count as a separate dwelling so will be subject to its own council tax, which is at least £1k pa, plus heating and water etc.

If you don't have the budget for this budget it might be better to look for a larger standard property where she can have her own room on the ground floor if necessary.

You could set up a bit of a kitchenette in her room if she wants to be able to make herself hot drinks or anything without using the main kitchen.

Another point that you should probably consider is the longevity of this arrangement. I hate to say it, but you have to consider that this might not be a long term arrangement, of course she could live another 20 years, but otherwise, what would your plans be after she dies? Buying and selling property attracts costs, which would be lost if you decide to move again quickly, so maybe you should consider renting where she currently lives in the first instance?

We were living in another country as DM started needing more help. We had really good experiences with live in carers provided by https://www.homeinstead.co.uk

Dore, Totley, ranmoor, whirlow are the most expensive areas. They would be S17, S11 and S10 postcodes. The top of Hillsborough, walkley and crookes are nice but quite studenty, nothing wrong with that though. Stannington and Worrall, Chapeltown and high green are on outskirts and more near countryside and slightly cheaper than Hillsborough area with a half hour commute to Sheffield centre. Can be a bit bleak in the surrounding areas in winter and transport isn't great. Depends on your budget I guess and if you will drive.

It will also depend whether you are planning to live with your MiL or simply close enough to visit her regularly. Sheffield is close to some beautiful countryside- the Peak District - if you do t want to live in the city. I don’t know Sheffield well but there are certainly some really nice areas.

Are you able to give us even a rough idea of budget? It'll help narrow things down considerably.

Also, how old are your kids - are you looking for primary or secondary schools? The school system in the UK means places are allocated based on distance (or if you have s sibling at the school) so if you're applying at the usual times (for school entry when they're 4 and 11), living close to the school is important if the good schools in your area are oversubscribed.

Outside of those ages, you will need to talk to the local council about where there are spaces. If you get out on a waiting list, your position on it is according to their criteria (including distance) not how long you've been waiting.

Unless you plan to send your DC to private school, if so that's a different thing entirely and not something I know much about!

I don't live but work in the area, I'd say Totley , Dore, Loxley, Oughtibridge, Bradfield are all within 15 mins or so of the centre. Nether edge if you want to be closer to the centre. The Peak District is only a short drive away too if you're looking for something more rural

Look at houses in the S10 and S11 postcodes. They're close to the city centre (and Hillsborough) but pretty quiet with a good range of amenities, and you'll have the Peak District practically on the doorstep.

Dore and Totley are brilliant, with great schools and transport links. On the edge of the Peak District too, so it's lovely for getting outdoors.

I live near there, PM me if you'd like a chat about the area or have any more questions. My parents-in-law live near Zug in Switzerland, it's beautiful, but very different to here!