Where to live in Birmingham?

[Destinysdaughter]

Me and DP both live on our own but are planning on pooling our resources and buying a place together in Birmingham. Neither of us live there but he works there. We are in our 50s so schools aren’t an issue. Our budget is 350-400k. I really like Mosley but it is pricey. I’d like somewhere that has good public transport links and is safe, and has some good local cultural life?

Would really appreciate any advice as to where pp would recommend living? Thanks!

Kings Heath is on the doorstep of Moseley and parts are much more affordable. Still not the cheapest area but you’d definitely find something for that budget in the part of KH you’d need. Harborne is also lovely and has a good community feel with plenty going on and easy access to town.

Kings Heath. It's walking distance to Moseley and is ever so slightly cheaper. There's Kings Heath park and Highbury Park for walks and the high street with lots of independent cafes and shops. The train station is also meant to be reopening in the next few years but the buses are great.

I lived there for three years and left due to jobs but would move back in a heartbeat.

Harborne (or Bearwood possibly)

Sutton Coldfield is nice

Moseley or Edgbaston too.

Kings Heath is an absolute dump, are you all for real?!

Nice, Barbeito. Granted the end up by Druids Heath isn’t spectacular but I don’t think anyone’s recommending that part. Where on earth are you thinking of?

Harborne
Sutton Coldfield
Solihull
Would be my recommendations

What's Smethwick like?

And Bourneville! Completely forgot Bournville.

Harborne. You couldn't pay me to live in Smethwick. Stourbridge/Hagley/Kidderminster aren't Birmingham but an east commute.

In your shoes I’d probably go for Solihull.

Harborne is way too congested, you can't turn a corner without hitting traffic, lots of the streets have no off road parking so that can be a nightmare. Bournville is gorgeous but there is no centre to it as it's Quaker land. I live in Sutton Coldfield, it's ok, bit boring no culture here either!

If it has to be Birmingham I'd go for Kings Heath or Bournville.

Book Smethwick is not a place most people would choose to live.

Is mosely now expensive, was a red light area when I lived there!

Knowle near Solihull is lovely. A friend of DH lives there. Village feel. Nice shops and restaurants.

Annie
www.thetimes.co.uk/article/the-winner-birmingham-moseley-qqjjnfpwj0d

Knowle’s nice enough, and great if that’s what you’re after, but the opppsite side of Solihull and nowhere near as much going on.

Depends where he works ?

Depends what you want for your £350 000 - £4K ? (detached or not, how many bedrooms, etc)

Do you want transport to other parts of the Country, or do you mean into town ?

what kind of 'good local cultural life' are you looking for ?

Harborne/Bournville

Kings Heath high street isn't very nice but there are some good pubs. Harborne is much nicer though.

like others i strongly recommend a look at Kings Heath - it is not as a dump I promise and plenty of houses in your budget there. You will find something for that budget in Moseley too but possibly not exactly what you'd like. Prices have sadly shot up over the last few years

The buses from Moseley /KH are very good into town and there are good connections to other parts of the city but there are no trains.

Look also at Harborne and some parts of Kings Norton are nice

Thanks so much for all your replies! I was in London for over 20 years, of course there’s nowhere like London but I’m now in Coventry which is a bit grim so I’d love somewhere that has more going on. Birmingham seems like somewhere where there are great parts right next to more dodgy parts ( sorry ) and I’m just not sure where they are. Really appreciate any local knowledge.

Moseley

Another vote for kingsheath - I used to live there and walk into Mosley.

I grew up in Moseley / Kings Heath (the library end) and I loved it. Parking not as good in Kings Heath, but it was buzzing and very close to Moseley.

Northfield ok, Edgbaston ok, Bournville lovely, Hall Green ok, parts of Kings Norton ok. However, not really buzzing with culture & things to do, except maybe Egbaston / Harborne, although it might be a bit studenty.

Sutton Coldfield / Solihull are also nice & if you can get a bit further out maybe, towards Bromsgrove / Alvechurch you might find something nice?

It really does depend on what you want to get for that budget. That would get you a nice 3 bed semi in Solihull, but not much more.

Bournville
Kings Norton (some parts are lovely)
Kings Heath
Harborne- although v pricey!