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!

Further out than Birmingham itself but on a direct train line: Alvechurch and Barnt Green are lovely. Solihull, Dorridge and Knowle are nice too. Kings Heath and Moseley are ok but much more "Birmingham" in feel, not much parking, some dodgy/grotty areas (I'm a paramedic and have seen the worst of the back alleyways). Moseley in particular is unpleasantly close to some seriously grim areas. Slightly outside Birmingham Kidderminster/Hagley/Bromsgrove have really nice houses with easy access to Birmingham and Worcester if you want it.

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

Bournville. Buses & cross-city train. KIngs Heath only has buses & can ger very congested.

The trainline through Kings Heath and Moseley is due to reopen in 2021 so that will make getting into the city centre easier - will probably push up property prices too

Birmingham seems like somewhere where there are great parts right next to more dodgy parts

You are right.
Edgbaston has some of the most expensive beautiful homes of anywhere in the City. Edgbaston also has some quite dodgy arts to it that you certainly wouldn't 'aspire' to live in. Northfield has a poor reputation with most, but there are some lovely roads to live in. Moseley is similar to Edgbaston - some really lovely parts, but some more dodgy areas to. Selly Park is another area like that. Selly Oak (especially near the station) is reputed to be all student housing, but there are quite a few patches with a B29 (Selly Oak) postcode that are BVT land. BVT is Bournville Village Trust. People pay a premium to own a house on BVT land. Originally owned / given by the Cadbury family and there are stricter rules on what you can / can't do to your property which makes for really nice place to live.

The cross City line extends out to places slightly outside Birmingham - from Lichfield in the NE to Alvechurch or Barnt Green or Blackwell in the SW. They are villages that might be worth looking at if you want to be outside the City, but your money won't go as far there.

Within the City, Bournville area is probably your best bet.
Also Kings Norton, but that is another area of extremes - some beautiful houses but some of the most deprived estates in the City also come under a 'Kings Norton' address.

there is a 'cross City train line' which gives you public transport options if you live near one of the stations

Depends what you want really. If you're after bit quieter, more rural living go for Bromsgrove/Redditch - lots of small towns & villages.

If you're after lots to do, nice places to eat & socialise, lovely parks, good transport and schools, Kings Heath or Moseley are brilliant. Yes, there are dodgy bits and yes, the traffic is horrendous. But there's farmers markets, great community feel, the new train line on the way and some excellent schools...

You'd definitely find a good Victorian 3 bed or 1930s semi in your budget range (Kings Heath more so than Moseley).

I was born & raised in Kings Heath & now live in Moseley so am possibly a bit biased

Kings heath has no police station anymore, and has a small problem of people being car-jacked. To be fair Mosley has this problem too. From dental nurses having lunch in their cars to 90 year old men parking at the local green space, they are equal opportunity car-jackers .
In Hall Green they will take cars with children still in them, although the children always seem to be returned after a few hours.
The moped gangs come up from London in the summer and target Kings Heath high street, but if you’re from London maybe you’re used to that?

Are you a jogger? Cause the current police advice is not to in
parks, because muggings for phones are very common. Cannon Hill is really bad for it. They recommend running in twos or more or avoiding parks entirely.

Most people I know in Solihull have been robbed at some point. Generally it’s car keys they are after, but not always. Police advice is to keep your keys near the door so they don’t have to come into your house to get them.
Of course with the relay devices they don’t even need to break in, you just wake up in the morning to find you’re car gone.

Apart from that, Birmingham is lovely, the people are amazing.

Does it have to be a house? If not then there's plenty of 2 and 3 bed flats in your budget in Moseley.

Blimey running that's a bit of an odd view of a City.
I mean, I'm sorry if you, or a loved one has been a victim of crime recently, but I don't think, OP, that you'll find the crime statistics are particularly high in any of those areas.

Definitely not had my car keys nicked.
Know one person that has, from their home during a burglary.
Been round Solihull area 15 years.....

Running, I know loads of Solihull people, not one of whom has been robbed. I’ve lived in various parts of Bham and don’t recognise what you are saying about it.

Goodness, my family have lived in Shirley/Solihull for about 40 years and I can't recall any chat about carjacking with children or mass break ins of Silhillian homes for keys

I'm in a tower block in druids heath and still never been mugged or broken into. When it happens it's a big thing and all over social media. Thinking about none of my family or friends have had anything like that either. I would have a think about round Kings heath. Even warstock and solihul border. Really nice houses.

Moseley and kings heath are getting train stations in a couple of years in case that is of interest. It's a definite thing now - should be open 2020?

You can look up the crime stats. I don't think the areas you'd be looking would be particularly bad.

In Hall Green they will take cars with children still in them, although the children always seem to be returned after a few hours Yeah, happens all the time

^^^ yup saves on child care fees. Leave them in car with keys in ignition.. they'll be taken on a lovely sight seeing trip while you relax for a few hours safe in the knowledge that the vehicle is road worthy and theyll ve back later. C.F. Brum style

In all seriousness though there have been some car jackings around Moseley and a car was taken with a child in the back. Police broke the car hacking gang and the incident in Hall Green was isolated but must have been awful for the parents so really it's wrong of me to make light of it

Wow such conflicting opinions!

I need a little garden as I have a cat, I’ve seen lots of apartments on Moseley which look lovely but not for a cat...

See I am worried about crime especially as I don’t drive and would be using public transport. Thanks again for all the viewpoints.

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-75734042.html
This is the area I was talking about. Its nice. Its near the bus stop for solihul and town. Also Yardley Wood train station is near.

Bournville retirement village or Longbridge. Think these start at 350,000 though

Sutton Coldfield or Harborne would be my choices in Birmingham. We live about 14 miles North of Birmingham in a quiet town 4 miles away from Tamworth. There is a large lake and so lovely to walk around in green area with nice houses and community. You could get large 4 bedroom detached for that price range. We also have Snowdome in Tamworth with skiing, climbing, ice skating, swimming, bowling, cinemas bars and restaurants, the castle which is lovely and surrounding grounds with tennis, crazy golf and cafe, and a really good shopping centre with plenty of parking. It is only 14 miles out of Birmingham. I go to nice gym at Sutton Coldfield 7 miles away from me. We go into Birmingham for theaters and cricket. You really need to go and look around the areas before making any commitment. Birmingham is very congested and it takes ages to get across city in rush hour. Personally I would prefer to live a little outside of city in greener area and better air quality as asthmatic. Which area does your dh work? Look at accommodation in that direction.

Smethwick wouldn't be my first -or 50th-- choice.
Solihull, Bourneville, Edgbaston. Northfield is OKish.
Bromsgrove is quite bland. I moved away though as I don't much like Brum - it's too big a city for my taste.

The Areas mentioned are very different. Coventry is made up of lots of areas very much like small towns.
Kings Heath has lots going on, I think it might be described as gritty. Foodie markets at the weekend, loys of pubs and restaurants, plenty of live music and good festival type events, poor high street but community feeling is good.
Knowle & Solihull could be described as posh, good shopping and schools. considered expensive
What sort of area do you want to live in?

I'd suggest Knowle too.

Sutton coldfield is nice and great train service and bus service in to the city. Four Oaks area of Sutton is expensive but nice. Little bit out. Wylde green area of Sutton is a bit more nearer the city for transport

Solihull is not Birmingham. Neither is Sutton Coldfield. I like the atmosphere of neither. Small towns with small town mentalities imo.

Kings Heath is your best bet, but have a look at Harborne and Bournville. Traffic is terrible in both Kings Heath and Harborne but that will improve for KH soon with the train.