to ask how to relocate (to Belfast)?

[AdultierAdult]

My husband has been telecommuting and commuting to Belfast from a very expensive area in the South East and we are fed up of missing him during the week (obviously he is remote working now!). Both our parents live in ROI anyway so we feel like we are on the wrong island and paying a premium for London bubble living, without any real need.

We’ve decided to relocate to Belfast but feel completely out of our depth. We have a baby and a daughter who would be going into NI year 9 (she’s in y7 here), and husband needs to commute to city centre by bike or public transport. Schools and an area with a bustling community with access to the city are the priorities.

Feel so overwhelmed - how do I go about narrowing down schools to apply for, or areas to rent/buy, and how to find somewhere when the world has stopped!? Should we become accidental landlords and keep a place in the SE in case it doesn’t work out or sell up and go for it to avoid all that headache? How do we find somewhere to rent with two cats, or should we just go for it and buy (we dont need to sell here to do this)? I don’t feel like enough of a grownup to do this and I can’t sleep at the moment for stressing about it.

For anyone who knows Belfast and could suggest some postcodes - we’d prefer not to spend more than £1000 a month renting. Budget to buy would be max £300k if we keep our house here or probably about £650k if we sold up here completely.

I know this isn’t AIBU but other appropriate areas are dead! Any nuggets of wisdom greatly appreciated.

@MariaDingbat that looks perfect - I've enquired!

Thanks Amrythings...Victoria is unfortunately oversubscribed for the year but they'll keep me updated. Looked good because DD is currently at an all girls private school (non-selective) and seemed like a similar vibe!

Does anyone know when I might start hearing back? Finding this inordinately stressful (lockdown and 12 week old baby not helping...)

Oh my gosh, mummyshark those houses! And we wouldn't need to sell any kidneys or anything!

Alternative all girls grammar with an excellent reputation if Victoria is over subscribed

www.assumptiongrammar.org.uk/

Only really an option if living along the direct bus route so anywhere from Ormeau, Ravenhill, Four Winds, Carryduff (about 20 min journey).

Ps - Really nice period house in Ravenhill Rd area if you're willing to take on a project www.propertynews.com/property-for-sale/south-parade-belfast-bt7-2gq/property/UPS11217-3-10100075/

Hunter House is all girls grammar in South Belfast, or if you are open to faith schools there is also St Dominic’s all girls on the Falls road- haven’t been in it but it is meant to be excellent (number one on league tables).

If you can afford it and want to be a bit more central then South Belfast is definitely the place to be, it's absolutely beautiful. The houses are gorgeous and the choice of schools is pretty unparalleled. I love Bangor and would recommend it to anyone but if we could have afforded South Belfast we would have been swayed as we would personally prioritise culture over the sea views / walks etc we get here. Belfast is a pretty amazing city arts-wise (at least it was...) and I do miss having easy access to the Lyric / Black Box / Cathedral Quarter.

I would keep phoning the schools and annoying them- all the grammars will have lots trying to get in to second year due to perhaps not scoring high enough in the transfer for first year and trying to get in for second year (year nine). They base entry for year nine on academics at end of first year.

Belfast is a fantastic city to live in . You’ll love it ! Northern Ireland in general is really beautiful and the people are friendly and welcoming.

You would have absolutely no problem on that budget. Rosetta is a lovely area in South East Belfast. You could go down the towpath into town on the bike.

I went to St Dominic's and it was indeed brilliant. If you don't mind mixed gender South Belfast also has Aquinas which is the best school in NI.

Also literally no-one gives a toss about English accents especially in South Belfast. My husband is English and my son still has his accent, they are far from the only ones.

Interviews for entry to year 9 will have already taken place . One of my nieces missed her preferred school after year 7 and moved at the beginning of year 9 . She had an interview with the headmaster around March /April and was offered a place in September the same day .
Do keep in touch with the schools though as no one knows what can happen from year to year . Victoria is a lovely school .

I agree , your accents won’t matter at all . More and more English people are moving here all the time . And lots of northern Irish have English sounding accents anyway depending on where they go to school and live .

I'm happy to help if you're wondering about any particular Areas too OP. I agree, South Belfast is a great bet. Still some pockets of areas I wouldn't touch, but with your budget I doubt you'll be looking at any of them.
Our DC don't go to Lagan College but I hear excellent things about it. And it has a grammar stream as far as I know, so it might be worth considering. Otherwise Rathmore, Aquinas, St Dominics etc all excellent. Good luck.

www.gumtree.com/p/property-to-rent/house-to-rent-bangor-short-term-lease-available/1372624442
Short term bangor rental if that is on your radar. Seacliff is right on the water so views across belfast lough and 15 mins walk up the town to the train / schools (glenlola in town or st Columbanus along the water to ballyholme).

@Atlanticpa that is lush! So gorgeous, how lovely to be in isolation there?!

I was thinking about it last night (at 3am...sob) and I think I should hold off for a week or so on finding a place as the person I spoke to at EANI said schools tend to respond within 11 days?

We've heard back from one of the grammars about a CAT test. Apparently practising is discouraged. DD did these tests at her prep school, she says, so is vaguely familiar. Do pupils tend to sit them without any tutoring or practice or should I be trying to find some example papers?

@Belfastian I like the look of Lagan actually, but I can't get any response from 'phone or email! Understandable in these times. God I hope I find her a place somewhere soon. Literally can't sleep.

We moved over and rented until stable work was predictable then bought in North Down. I mostly work in dundonald so it’s a fifteen minute commute, could cycle in perhaps 45 mins.

Look around Comber, easy cycling into central Belfast and good busses, or cycle to Dundonald then take the bus to central Belfast (there are bicycle park and rides).

My colleagues tended to coach their children a lot for the transfer test. If all else fails though the few private schools are crazily cheap, apparently Campbell college is only around £10k a year.

Lagan is a great school and they have dedicated buses from all over (you couldn't reach it otherwise as it is in the castlereagh hills / country) . But it is very popular for both the grammar and non grammar stream. All of the grammar schools publish their intake, high and low age / gl scores etc every year so you might get an idea of where would be a good fit.

Transfer tests are either aqe or go but that isn't the same as CAT tests.

Can anyone recommend a nice area near to the city centre but also a beach?! No DC yet but hopefully soon. DP and I have been considering NI (he's from there and has family there)

For beach you are probably looking at anywhere along the train line from belfast to Bangor... Hollywood, cultra, Helen's bay (most beachy as the name suggests), bangor. 10 to 25 mins from city centre on train.

@Burpalot agree with PPs, if you want beach and proximity to the city then North Down is your best bet. The beaches on the North Coast are better but it's just that bit too far to Belfast imo. Any of the villages beyond Bangor are lovely too, Ballyholme, Groomsport, Donaghadee.

Thank you both

Just remember, when the season starts in August (fingers crossed) The Belfast Giants play their home games at the Odyssey Arena.
It’s a great night.