? where to move from birmingham

[boredofbirmigham]

long but short ...we moved from london to the "2nd city..." well nothing like i ve expected ...moved here 2018 then went abroad 2020 came back 2023... still not my place.... same if not worst crime than london city very run down center is awful could be such a pretty city but is not happening...council is not only bankrupt but total mess ... now let's go straight to the point I would move back to london tonight if i could afford it.... and cant go in dim areas as i have schoolkids ... my question .... where to move? can i have some opinions ? I visited Liverpool and loved it but one thing is visiting one thing is living there...never been to manchester ....love cambridge ely stratford upon avon ...i know bristol but it didnt give me the I love it vibe .... any suggestions very appreciated ! I can move with my job and i am not buying until next autumn ... budget 250.000/270.000 I would prefer a city or a bigger town by the sea even better xx

I like Cardiff...

I’m in Stratford upon Avon if you need any help.

Where are you in Bham- I mean it's a big place!

Cities all have their own crap and affordability will vary a lot but respectfully, your budget won't get you the best areas. Stratford Upon Avon will be more expensive. It depends if you have to be in a city? Plenty of lovely more affordable places with great schools.

Exeter

Worcester? Small cathedral city with a river. It's not far from Birmingham so you could easily suss out if it has your ' vibe' before making a commitment.

Norwich?

This is a great idea. Unfortunately that budget doesn't really get you a house in the nicer bits of Birmingham, so I can see why you would not like it, but Worcester could be a good shout, or somewhere like Kidderminster?

If you work in Birmingham try Lichfield? Though you'd be looking at quite a modest house for that budget. But probably more realistic than Stratford.

Shrewsbury?

Chester? Though you won't get a Palace on that budget. Depends what you want for your money. Lancaster maybe? Not far from the coast.

The issue, as many have said is with that budget, and with presumably needing a 3 bed house, you will be restricted to some areas and not able to afford the 'best' areas, and that will be the same wherever you go.

That said, there are plenty of 'nice enough' areas of Birmingham you could get a 3 bad for less than that.

£270 000 will get you somewhere nice in a Derby suburb. Mickleover has been voted one of the most pleasant and places to live in the UK (house prices vs average wages) Near a decent city but a real community feel. Example house for budget

Norwich...loads of culture, half an hour ish from the beach and Norfolk broads

We’ve got a two bed in Stratford upon Avon and it cost us a good £100k over your budget three years ago. You’d be looking at a one bed flat or a house that needs some decent work for £275k, and it’d probably be quite far from town. It also doesn’t meet your want for a town feel at all… especially at the moment. We’ve lost three restaurants this week, and rumours are that the two remaining clothes shops are closing down.

I’d go north with that budget. Liverpool is lovely. Could you visit again for longer if you’re unsure?

What's a dim area?

How old are your kids?

Where in Birmingham did you live? How important is a city centre, given you've wrote off Birmingham because of its centre?

A lot of seaside towns are run down and are completely different in winter compared to summer. Again, seaside town budgets for a decent centre would probably need to be more than you've got

Your budget isn’t going to get you what you want. I live in the midlands (not a city) in an ok town and that budget would get you a 3 bed terrace/semi in one of the nicer bits of town at a push. You aren’t going to get much in Ely/Bristol/Cambridge

This is a great idea. Unfortunately that budget doesn't really get you a house in the nicer bits of Birmingham, so I can see why you would not like it, but Worcester could be a good shout, or somewhere like Kidderminster?

Kidderminster is a shithole. I'm assuming the OP wants a big city since she loves London, and there's bugger all in Kidderminster. I do like Worcester but still might be a bit small compared to what OP is used to.

You would struggle to get a bed sit for that in Bristol, but could probably buy a whole house in Plymouth.

Yeah don’t go to Kidderminster!

Try some searches on rightmove and see where you might get a decent house for your budget, then visit those cities and see if you like them?

Cardiff is great but expensive. Have you looked at cities further north? Newcastle maybe, Leeds?

goodmorning all thanks for the replies let me point out that we do live in a nice area in birmingham as im renting now and i had a feeling of the market and in birmingham i could buy close to a nice area with that budget (of course not in the center but i dont want to live in the center ) stratford upon av i saw we could get shared ownership.... liverpool people please talk as i always get mixed responses as some people say it's rough there but when i went i did not see it...of course when i go i go to the center the docks and the beach never been in bootle ...so yes i would appreciate the view of mums living there . My son is starting secondary my daughter is at college so yes we need 3 bedroom possibly . Never been to norwich i will have a look at it

I live in the east midlands and you can easily get a 3 bed for less than that where I am, albeit not one of the desirable areas.

I'd look at Liverpool OP, it's my favourite city in the UK.

I lived near Exeter for a time and didn't like it personally, a lot of backwards attitudes in that part of the country. This was in 2006 though so it may have changed.

Do you not need to consider the your daughters college course or will she have finished when you move?

Same with your sons school.

It's going to be a big upheaval for them.

Take a look at Wirral towns, very easy to get to Liverpool or Chester and Manchester isn't far, but near countryside and of course the sea.

Example
3 bedroom terraced house for sale in Gilroy Road, West Kirby, Wirral, CH48

You don’t want a shared ownership in Stratford. None of them are anywhere near town: and everyone just gets stuck there. But it also seems a bizarre place to consider if you want a city feeling. I convinced DH to move here for four years ago because I loved it in my 20s, but it’s a little tourist town now. Nothing happens after 6pm, the traffic is horrific and only getting worse; and the shops are all closing down. Next is closing soon and I’m not sure it’ll have any clothes shops other than the White Company and TK Maxx once that has gone. Your children will also be pretty stuck.

Liverpool is one of our options, we’re quite bored here; much as it’s a gorgeous town and I love it. We spent two months there in the summer; and while people also told us to look out for the rough bits; we didn’t come across any. The shopping centres are great; there’s always things on and the people were lovely. It feels like it’s got a lot of potential for a family.

I do think you need narrow down what you want and then go and visit the places; though. Stratford is lovely to visit but doesn’t meet any of your other requirements. Liverpool probably does but isn’t at all like Stratford. Birmingham seems to meet your requirements but you don’t like it despite renting in a nicer area - Edgbaston way? I’d be looking at around there/Harbourne etc if I was looking in Brum, but I’m not sure what your budget would stretch too.

Life long Brummie here who moved to Shrewsbury 4 years ago. Hands down best move I ever made. Pinch myself everyday that I live somewhere so lovely.