Possibly moving from London to Birmingham, need some help/advice

[Samsan1]

Hello everyone

So we need to move house because we need more rooms, we currently live in London bordering Surrey, would ideally love to move to Surrey but can't afford that. So the choice is between Crawley, Horley, redhill or Birmingham or close to Birmingham. Basically the areas above we could get a 3 bed but need a 4 bed so would need to do a loft conversation which of course is I'll cost a lot, which is one of the reasons we are planning on moving towards Birmingham as we can get 4/5 bedrooms in the same price.
I'm still a bit unsure weather to move to Birmingham as I just fear I might regret it. The area I live in has had many stabbings lately so I do want to move, do you guys think I'm crazy to leave London for Birmingham? Which of the areas above would you do?
Also what are the good areas in Birmingham? From what I've read south is good as well as Sutton Coldfield is this correct? I want excellent primary and secondary schools and a move family area. I'm trying to
Narrow down areas so we can head up there to check out houses, schools is the number 1 priority.
Also any other suggestions for areas outside Birmingham would be considered.
Sorry for the long post
Thanks

Missmarplesknitting thanks 😊

Moseley schools are....um....varied.

If people can they try and get into the King Edward grammars.

Most of the Birmingham areas are really mixed, like in London. Lovely roads very close to.... less lovely ones.

The really nice 'posh all round' bits are the Knowle & Dorridge areas or further afield, less London in feel and needless to say, expensive.

Missmarplesknitting yes might have to up
My budget

Dorridge is nice. Small, but well connected to Solihull, Birmingham and London.

For a train - Barnt Green/Longbridge/Kings Norton

For a bus - Harborne/Quinton/Oldbury/Moseley/Kings Heath.

I like parts of Solihull and Sutton but I know it less well.

Birmingham is mixed, like anywhere.

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-67447343.html

This looks ready for an offer

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-63978247.html

Is this more what you might be after in a new build?

Missmarplesknitting yes the second one is amazing but so
Is the price 🙈it's London prices lol

Sakura amd caulk thank you

Yup.

It isn't as cheap as you would think in these areas!!!

You always get this on the 'possibly moving to Birmingham threads'

OP : Where should I live in Birmingham
few sensible replies, then people always say how nice it is in Dorridge or Catherine-de-Barnes
sensible poster : What is your budget?
OP: £300 000 - £340 000
Dorridge / Knowle fans : Here is a link to a nice house, only £540 000

Why ??

Why not help OP look at houses in the price range she can afford ???

Because there arent any in the areas they want?

£300k won't get a 4 bed new build unless you go to Nuneaton.

If you want a 4 bed new build in the areas with nice schools and good transport links, it's going to cost more.

That's the truth of it.

Backforgood 😂😂 thanks I shall sit down and look through all the areas and try and find houses, funny think is I saw so many affine builds but now questioning the areas

How is hodge Hill by the way? Loads of beautiful new builds in budget ?

New builds is the issue along with the London buzz the OP wants.

Warwick/Leamington have a fair few new builds. Most are £350k minimum for 4 bed.

Kenilworth is getting a station soon. Nice high street. Great schools. Just may check houses against where HS2 runs potentially through the back of the town. Again....£400k for 4 bed is more realistic.

Don't know Hodge hill at all TBH

I live in Bromsgrove. Great schools and good transport links (close to motorways and trains to Birmingham) but definitely not a London feel! Our four bedroom house cost £260k a decade ago. I don't know what it's worth now.

Missmarplesknitting yes lovely houses seems close to Sutton not sure those of the area

Hodge Hill school is a hell hole.DW taught there. Avoid.

I'm in Stratford but was Solihull and Birmingham years ago.

Stratford is gorgeous but awful public transport wise!

Drdrereturns oohhh😮 thanks

I moved from Surrey to Erdington and I hated it. Albeit this was years ago but I found people very anti southern (their own words) and I was very homesick. It may have changed now but the few people I stayed in touch with who lived there have moved away as well because the area got worse. If you can afford the Chester Road/ Wylde Green area then this is nearer Sutton and it always used to feel a bit nicer. Pype Hayes has lots of new builds but not sure what it is like. It used to be quite deprived when it was the old concrete houses but they are all gone now.

When looking at any area stay over in a travel lodge etc and drive round at night too. Knock on potential neighbours doors too. I did this (not in Brum) and it stopped me from making a monumental mistake.

Good luck op

Witchodzog thanks that was the plan to start over next weekend,

Missmarplesknitting Stratford London ?

Stratford upon Avon I imagine.

Drdrereturns ah of course 🤪

Good plan Samsan. Any decent person will understand why you are knocking. I met a lovely woman when I knocked on doors who confirmed my gut feeling about an area and stopped me putting a deposit down on a house. Phew!