We were able to look at 9 furnished apartments (only 4 options highlighted below), and we were very impressed. For a big city, none are too small (though they aren't big) and none were just awful. There were those on the lower end, a few in the middle, and a few towards the top. In the end, we were down to two and put in an offer tonight for our choice - but sorry folks, you'll have to wait until our next post to see what we choose! There's a chance our offer and contract requirements may not be agreed upon, in which case, our backups are great choices.
We are renting (seeing as we'll only be here two years) and our relocation specialists, provided by KPMG, are doing the negotiating for us. They also found all of the options we saw today. Many thanks to David (whom you met via social media this morning) for a fun and informative day. He did a great job showing us around the city and we feel like very informed Brum renters now!
To catch those of you up who need it, Adam and I bought a lovely NE Jackson home in July. We were inclined to rent, but the market told us better and we sold very quickly. It was a great first home, but life changes, and you just roll with it. We sold about 85% of our furniture. Much of it was starter home material, though we sent some to our storage facility in Fairhope (the Haywood's), including cherished pieces such as Adam's precious leather recliner and my treasured dining room set, along with kitchen items, china, etc. We brought nothing but clothes with us here (which most definitely won't all fit in any of these locations… guess I'll blog about the solution to that problem later). We are shipping a couple of small boxes that include some small pictures and items that we hope make our Brum place feel like home. I'm sure we'll also visit Ikea and other comparable affordable home stores to help us nest.
So, here it goes! I've uploaded 5 videos - the 5th goes along with the 4th shown site visit. Know this: each location actually looks MUCH better in person. I also apologize for the landscape v. portrait views. This amateur videographer (me) was working with my handheld camera and didn't consider what it would look like once uploaded. Just turn your screen sideways.
Option 1 - The Mint Building, The Jewellery Quarter
Pros: New tidy furniture, beautiful floors, open kitchen/floor plan, good building, great neighborhood
Cons: A bit standard/vanilla, outdoor entrance; not as centrally located in neighborhood
Option 2 - The Canal, near Brindley Place
Pros: Good space, AMAZING view, convenient to canal shops and restaurants
Cons: Very dated decor and minimal furniture
Option 3: Carpathian, The Jewellery Quarter
Pros: Great space, including separate dining space; Juliet window and view, central in neighborhood
Cons: Carpeted, closet/storage space
Option 4: Harborne (that's the neighborhood/part of town)
Pros: Space, french doors/decor, balcony, updated, rooftop terrace
Cons: distance from City Centre/commute; a bit cold/standard building
This is the rooftop terrace at Harborne - the video is narrated, I just thought the view was too great not to share. You can see how green Birmingham is even on a dreary day!
That's all for now! Up later this week… which location we're moving into and more fun facts about Britain! Still haven't met Kate, but looks like we may make a trip to London this wknd!
Blogging about Brum is a great idea! Excited for you both!
ReplyDelete