# Living in City Centre in Birmingham?



## vanvu1 (Jun 14, 2011)

Hi, 
My husband and I are both professionals relocaing to Birmingham from Australia for work. 
I have been reading forums about the best places to live in Birmingham- edgbaston/harbourne. 
I was wondering what it was like living in the city centre itself- eg/ close to the New street Station, near the Mailbox, Jewellery quarter, St Paul's square.
Any advice would be helpful. Thanks


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

vanvu1 said:


> Hi,
> My husband and I are both professionals relocaing to Birmingham from Australia for work.
> I have been reading forums about the best places to live in Birmingham- edgbaston/harbourne.
> I was wondering what it was like living in the city centre itself- eg/ close to the New street Station, near the Mailbox, Jewellery quarter, St Paul's square.
> Any advice would be helpful. Thanks


City centre living is perfectly feasible and has become quite popular. There are many restored properties as well as new, and because of oversupply, rents are competitive and often negotiable. If you live in the centre, getting to work will be a breeze with no transport worries, and of course it will be handy for shopping and entertainment.

Downside includes lack of space - most properties are flats and apartments with little outdoor space (like a garden), and if you keep a car, parking will be difficult and expensive (if you rent a garage space). Traffic noise can be a problem because of all-day jam (double glazing helps). Also it can be noisy and rowdy late at night, as the centre attracts a lot of revellers, esp at weekends. So when flat hunting, visit the area on Friday night as well to see what it's like. Speak to several letting agents and compare what they have to offer, and make sure you are happy with the rent and all other conditions. If you are a recent arrival with no established credit history in UK, you may require a guarantor (UK-resident property-owner with established income) or have to pay 6 months' rent in advance.


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## vanvu1 (Jun 14, 2011)

Joppa said:


> City centre living is perfectly feasible and has become quite popular. There are many restored properties as well as new, and because of oversupply, rents are competitive and often negotiable. If you live in the centre, getting to work will be a breeze with no transport worries, and of course it will be handy for shopping and entertainment.
> 
> Downside includes lack of space - most properties are flats and apartments with little outdoor space (like a garden), and if you keep a car, parking will be difficult and expensive (if you rent a garage space). Traffic noise can be a problem because of all-day jam (double glazing helps). Also it can be noisy and rowdy late at night, as the centre attracts a lot of revellers, esp at weekends. So when flat hunting, visit the area on Friday night as well to see what it's like. Speak to several letting agents and compare what they have to offer, and make sure you are happy with the rent and all other conditions. If you are a recent arrival with no established credit history in UK, you may require a guarantor (UK-resident property-owner with established income) or have to pay 6 months' rent in advance.



Thanks heaps for your reply- Are there any areas in the city centre that are better than others?


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## Deefor (May 29, 2011)

There are a lot of new apartment blocks in the city centre. New Street station is undergoing a major refurb and there has been a lot of development in the city in the last few years. Agree with Joppa's comments about Friday nights, but on the positive side there is a great mix of things to do. You'll have a great time.


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## Dee kumar (Jul 12, 2011)

Not sure if you had this problem solved, but let me know if as a Brimingham native I can offer some advice.


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## IntlMOVE (Jul 24, 2011)

If your company in the United States has a location in the UK, you may have an easier time securing a visa. Your employer can help you acquire a Tier 2 visa. This process can be much easier than trying to acquire a UK work visa on your own. Check with your human resource department and your local embassy for specifics. You can also check out this article.


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