Moving to Birmingham - where to buy a flat?

[Fredmitten]

Currently SE dwellers, I've been offered a job in Birmingham which is exciting and challenging and all those goods things. DH is self employed and can start to look for clients in the Mids.
The short term plan is to buy a one bed flat for me to live in during the week, and then look to move up completely in a year or so.
I'll be based at the hospital and don't want to live too far out, but excellent nightlife is not a huge priority! We could probably stretch to 150k but 125k would be more comfortable.
Thoughts appreciated.

Exciting. But which Hospital? We have more than one.

Excellent point. Queen Elizabeth. Thanks.

Harbourne, Moseley or Kings Heath would be my suggestions to start looking :)

No way will you afford the areas mentioned on your budget. I would suggest looking to rent in the short term assuming your budget would rise after a year or so. Look on the Cross City line as a starter.

Thank you. It only need be a modest one bed flat at this stage. We hope to move up completely in about 18 months.

It isn't at all quick and easy to get to the QE from Kings Heath, unless you cycle, which I wouldn't recommend as there are no cycle routes that way.
You'd be better off in selly oak or stirchley, though neither has many flats, but you could walk then. Rent for a year, then buy, really.

Harborne

harborne

moseley

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-46662069.html?backListLink=%2Fproperty-for-sale%2Fmap.html%3FpropertyTypes%3Dflat%26includeSSTC%3Dfalse%26sortType%3D2%26viewType%3DLIST%26channel%3DBUY%26index%3D0%26maxPrice%3D150000%26radius%3D0.0%26primaryDisplayPropertyType%3Dflats%26numberOfPropertiesPerPage%3D24%26locationIdentifier%3DREGION%255E11851%23_includeSSTC%3Don%26auction%3Dfalse%26displayPropertyType%3Dflats%26locationIdentifier%3DREGION%255E17614%26maxPrice%3D150000%26numberOfPropertiesPerPage%3D24%26oldDisplayPropertyType%3Dflats%26oldPrimaryDisplayPropertyType%3Dflats%26previousSearchLocation%3DMoseley%26primaryDisplayPropertyType%3Dflats%26radius%3D0.0%26searchLocation%3DMoseley%26searchType%3DSALE%26sortType%3D2%26useLocationIdentifier%3Dtrue%26viewType%3DLIST%26box%3D-1.91201%2C-1.85451%2C52.43061%2C52.45478%26popupPropertyId%3D46662069&fromMap=true

selly park

There are quite a few converted houses in Moseley that some of my friends have had which were lovely, and cheaper, but to buy and sell I guess a more modern block would be easier.

Balls, sorry, I can't edit the link to a normal size

Moseley is pretty inconvenient for transport - buses and certainly not simple to get to the QE.

One of the Harborne flats above is in Quinton and one is a retirement property

I would probably suggest looking in town tbh. Lots of apartments there so bargains to be had. And great for transport links.

Oldbury? Town? In brum town means city centre. Tbh its pretty easy to get around as much smaller than london so don't think you need to be specifically geographically situated for your job role commute. Enjoy! Friendlier tjan london by far! And you'll get lots of people calling you bab! How cute! I'd move in a shot from smelly west london. Born and bred brummy!

Thank you all. We're relocating through choice and genuinely really excited. We're coming up in a couple of weeks to spend a weekend getting to know the different areas better. I think central may be likely if we do buy a flat, as noted above there are just so many it keeps prices relatively in check. Thanks again.

Good luck! Birmingham is a great place to live

Hi

If you are driving then it is 25mintues from Moseley/Kings Heath to the QE first thing in the morning. Over the last couple of months I have had quite a few 9:00am appointments and have got there in this time. Public transport is always going to take longer - it depends on what commuting time you are used.

You can get flats for that sort of price to but what I have noticed over the last couple of months as we walk the dog, is that the sold signs are going up within weeks once the for sale board goes up. The converted houses are also lovely and if you pick the right roads they should have decent gardens to share.

To get back from town in a black cab is about £10 - £12 although Moseley Village is just as bustling on the weekend.

As you can probably tell, I am quite biased for the Moseley area, love living here. People are friendly - we have not long moved house within the area and neighbours are just as friendly and community spirited as where we lived last. Good luck!

Moseley, Harborne, Kings Heath are all great places to live, but if getting to work easily is a priority you should look at the train route that runs through the University station (which is right by the QE). Bournville is lovely if you don't mind a lack of pubs. I love near that line, but much further out, which is an option if you want more of a village life than a city life.

Actually, hadn't thought of the train. Cotteridge might be a good bet- more reasonable prices, Kings Norton station is in Cotteridge effectively, and three stops to QE. Cotteridge has loads going on- if you're up on July 1st, CoCoMad is on in the park- it's a free festival with all sorts going on. The park itself is fantastic too.

Have a look in Bearwood. Only a 15 minute drive to QE and much cheaper than harborne and mosely. You could probably find a 2 maybe 3 bed terraced house with your budget.

You could get a flat in the Jewellery Quarter for your budget (I just sold one for £150 k but there are cheaper). Then metro from Jewellery quarter st to New St and Cross City line to University St for Qe.

Parking at the QE is a bit of a nightmare.
I would definitely look along the cross City (train) line as there is a station at the University which shares it's site with the hospital (don't be fooled by the peace and quiet now the students have gone home if you are looking in next week or two).

These historic nailers cottages are lovely. Really close (but not too noisily close) to Northfield Train station

Oops - ignore that - this one seems to have a covenant on it for over 60s - they don't normally.

Close to Northfield Train station

Another in same block

I nearly bought one of these for my first home

Saw This when doing something different today, and thought of your thread.
Really convenient for Kings Norton Station, but also the 11 bus route if ever the trains weren't working.
Nice pace to live.