Living in Belfast - cost

Redwino222

I have been offered a job in Belfast - salary £70k.  Just me so single person income.  What lifestyle would that buy?  I could go to Edinburgh or Dublin As well, but like to look of Belfast.  Would like a house with a garden and think I would need a car for weekends.  I have about £100k equity so thinking around £250 - £300k for a house.  No idea of areas, seems to be quite varied in terms of what this would buy in the city.

any advice welcome🙂

Zola.

A decent enough one. Salaries in NI are typically among the lowest in the UK, so housing and cost of living are lower than the rest of the UK. 
Edinburgh or Dublin is much more expensive to live in for sure. Getting a property in Dublin, you need to have deep pockets and be prepared to get gazumped a lot. I know people this has happened to.

Belfast is great if you are used to UK weather and don't expect it to be hot and sunny. 

I would recommend South Belfast (BT8 area code). You could get an older semi-detached house in good shape but in need of modernisation (with a generous garden if you hunt enough) for maybe £170k, good transport links into the city in places. As a single person would you really need a detached? You could maybe get a 3 bed detached in the south for around £220,000. 

Apintplease

Redwino222 said:

I have been offered a job in Belfast - salary £70k.  Just me so single person income.  What lifestyle would that buy?  I could go to Edinburgh or Dublin As well, but like to look of Belfast.  Would like a house with a garden and think I would need a car for weekends.  I have about £100k equity so thinking around £250 - £300k for a house.  No idea of areas, seems to be quite varied in terms of what this would buy in the city.

any advice welcome🙂

That would buy you a very good lifestyle here in NI, housing is half the cost here then in Dublin or Edinburgh

The property page is www.propertypal.com 

Find a rental until you get a feel for the city, you may even decide to live a bit further out. Its a very small city as you know so getting to know it, and getting personal recommendations on areas will be more helpful

I moved over 15 years ago - not knowing NI at all. We live in the country and it took about 5 months of searching before we found the area we live now where we are extremely happy and part of the community. But other people I have met who have moved over haven't settled as they didn't take the time to find the right area for them

You will love it here, never anywhere in the world will you find more friendly people. Ive more close friends here in 15 years then I ever had in 40 years of London and work colleagues are not colleagues, they are family

And the night life is wild NI people like a party and know how to party. Even in this very rural area, the local pub is the hub of the community and its impossible to pop in for a quick one - if you are going in, be prepared for a session because there is always going to be someone you know, either already in, or walks in and before you know it, you are in a round and accepting its going to be a take out for tea

Redwino222

Thank you.  Some beautiful houses.  I fell in love with this - money seems to go much farther in this neighbourhood.  Is there a reason for this?

https://www.propertypal.com/340-belmont-road-belfast/651198

I want to settle somewhere friendly we’re I can enjoy a nice lifestyle.  I am sole, pushing forty so want to live in a quiet enough area, with nice parks etc, but easy access to the city.  I have visited Belfast, and it seemed easy and not as pressured or congested as London.

i know a £70k salary is high, but it doesn’t buy a spectacular lifestyle in London.  Particularly is you are single and running a home on one salary,  I want to be able to afford to run a car, have a beautiful home and a good social life (meals out some ho,days etc).  Belfast seems my best shot at that on this.

Redwino222

I’m addicted now😂

https://www.propertypal.com/91-onslow-parade-belfast/667014/slideshow/photo-20

KiwiCoop

You could live like a King here on that sort of dough.  Both those houses in good areas, Belmont Rd particularly popular, though you're paying for convenience to schools which you obviously have no requirement for (BT5 myself).  People here would not agree with you that money goes further in this area!  I'd echo the suggestion of finding a cheap rental/Airbnb for a few months first to get the lay of the land.  No need to rush into buying a house now anyway - prices still puffed up from the lockdown and SDLT holiday.  
Belfast is a great size of city, enough happening but small enough to care.  London is an impersonal dive in comparison IMHO.    I'm from NZ originally and we could not enjoy the financial freedom there that we have here.  Though the weather is poor it must be said and certainly cooler than the SE.  Good luck with it and feel free to post or DM for advice - happy to help.

Redwino222

Thanks, yes I think I will rent, and hopefully will be able to explore some neighbourhoods.

quite excited now 🙂

Tammykitty

A £70k salary is fantastic in NI, and £250 - £300k will buy an excellent house in most areas.
I also echo the idea of renting first, get to know the area - you might find you want to outside the city  - although do be aware that transport links aren't necessarily great to most places, so you won't be able to go for a few drinks and get a late night bus/train most of the time.
Do you drive - i find a car is practically essential here.

As other posters have said i would start with South Belfast

fred246

Northern Ireland is in a bad way after Brexit. I saw it on the telly.

Redwino222

Yes I drive and plan to get a car to explore,  but I am really a city dweller so don’t think I will venture outside the city limits for he house.

i think Fred is following me!

ballyblack

fred246 said:

Northern Ireland is in a bad way after Brexit. I saw it on the telly.

so you educate yourself from what you watch on the telly?