Moving to Brussels

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I have just found out that we are moving ( again) and will be heading to Brussels in September 2015.
As this will be the first time that we have moved without children ( all now at university) we can live anywhere we want to as we are not concerned with proximity to schools.
Can anyone give me some info about areas of the city to live? I would like to be quite central with access to shops, restaurants etc as we would like to have a life centered a bit more around ourselves now that we don't have children to consider.
How easy is it to find accommodation (3 bedrooms flat/house) ? When do I need to start looking? And does anyone have any idea of cost? I think we will have a budget of around 3000 euros ( we still have uni fees and care home fees to pay for) . Does this amount sound doable?

We both speak quite good French so for once the language shouldn't be too much of a problem.
If anyone has any words of wisdom I would be very grateful.
Many thanks.

Very easy to find accommodation.
Might help if you said where work is.
3000 euro is 3 times and average rent for a 3 bed, so you are going to have an awful lot of choice.

Use these post codes to search. 1000, 1030, 1040, 1050, 1060, 1190. 1200.
www.ilotsacre.be/site/gemeenten19communes.htm
Use immoweb.

www.immoweb.be/en/

Thank you for replying so quickly.
Work is somewhere in the " European quarter". In one of the big EC buildings but not sure yet which one.
I am quite happy to take public transport to work and would prefer to live somewhere that has a definite life after office hours. I worked in La Defence in Paris sometime ago and definitely don't want such an office building atmosphere.
Thank you for letting me know about rent, after some of the cities we have lived in that is very welcome news !
If you have any recommendations about areas that are "sympa" I would be very appreciative.
Many thanks.

I'd go for 1000 (only EU area as that is a huge post code), 1030 south, all 1040, 1200 west, even 1210 St Josse which is very near EU but cheapest and very dense and not a place with kids but without could be very appealing. Very northern part of 1050 but I'd put it last on search list.

In fact, stick a needle in Merode metro on a map and keep within 500m and you'll have loads of lively streets and near to work.

Thanks for the info,
I have looked at the website that you suggested and there seems to be lots of apartments available!
My plan is to go to Brussels for 3/4 days to look for an apartment, I would try to arrange the viewings before hand so I can visit as many as possible in this time. If I want to move at the beginning of September, do you know when I should start looking? Ie 2 months before or earlier.
Does Brussels shut down for the month of August as Paris does?
Work would probably offer a relocation service but I prefer to be as independent as possible. I want to avoid living in an "expat ghetto" but realize in Brussels this might be impossible.
Are there any areas to avoid in terms of safety/ no public transport/ lack of cafes, shops etc.?
Many thanks for all your help.

Tenants must give 3 months notice here, so landlords who are efficient get the adverts 3 months before onto immoweb, sometimes they will know even further ahead, if they know for example their tenants are here for a fixed period.
1000 Brussels is really quite hard to look at apartments on immoweb as it doesn't subdivide adverts and that area is huge, so you have look for clues in the advert that they are in EU/Schuman/Merode area which will be most convenient.
It's an excellent idea not to be led by a relocation agency or at least to give the relocation agency set parameters and to tell them to get stuffed if they do not adhere to them.
Some apartments are advertised independently by owners on immoweb, some with agents, some with multi agents, can get complicated.
Yes EU employees have the majority of July and August off work, Brussels perhaps doesn't shut down to the extent that Paris does, but it does get quiet, but don't think it should affect too much a housing search.
Public transport is everywhere, but metro and some tram lines are far faster than other on street tram lines, such as the ones in Ixelles and Uccle.
You might find it less safe west of the river/canal Senne that's Anderlecht and Molenbeek, really not convenient for work! St Josse and some areas of Schaerbeek near EU area might feel a bit intimidating for single females, depends on your attitude really there, never felt intimidated in this area, whereas I really do not like being alone in some parts of Molenbeek and Anderlecht.
Brussels is 40% non Belgian. I'd say percentage remains pretty even in all areas, but the socio-economic and nationality make-up differs enormously. WSP has large numbers of 30 odd nationalities, in St Josse, 2 nationalities make up the majority on non Belgians. WSP, WSL, full of expats, but a great mix. If you go further out to the international schools, that's when you get th higher percentages of USA or French or British or German - all those areas are outside where I've recommended to look.