Moving to Birmingham with the family - where to look?

[lilyblue82]

Hello amazing mumsnetters,

We are moving to Birmingham from London in the Summer as husband will work at the University of Birmingham. I've never been there but I have started to have a look at properties, so I need your precious help and knowledge.

Considering South and East Birmingham and I wonder what is your opinion on Bromsgrove?

Budget is 400k but we can stretch. Looking for a 4 beds house. We want to be in a nice and friendly area with lots of family. Good schools are important as in Sep 2018 my son will go in Y2 and my daughter will start reception.

Thanks a lot for your help!

Val

I drive down South Road every day on the way to the station. I suppose it must get busy but I'd love to live there and be able to walk to the station! I really think you need to visit. Northfield feels completely different to Harborne. You need to decide which areas you prefer personally.

St Laurence in Northfield is a good school though.

Just spent an hour getting from Kings Heath to the centre on a bus. Love living there, but glad I don't have the journey as standard, and very glad that I don't do it frequently (but crossing my fingers for the train line to come in).

Thank you so much all, that's very sweet of you! The house just on the market looks nice and the pictures are very pretty. I may go an visit to have the feeling of the area.

The thread has been very enlightening (I had to do a spreadsheet and I had my popcorns :))

I've never been to Birmingham and surrounding areas so for me the search is very overwhelming as I don't know where to start.

I've been living in London for 10 years now but we are Italian, the inclusion and integration are very important as I won't know anyone when I move.

I've always lived in West London, so not used about huge houses. The flat where I live is in a Victorian street and in a very nice area where people help to each other. I'm after the community feeling, the parks (I am a marathon runner) and the activities for the children, nice small cafes and few good restaurants (a nice pub).

We also like this one

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-50758959.html

OP B'ham is very cosmopolitan, you'll find people from every corner of the globe there. It's the UK's most multicultural city after London so I think you'll probably really enjoy it.

I live in Switzerland these days, which is stunning, but I miss the buzz and vibe of Birmingham. There is always something going on and a million and one activities and events. There is a thread on here somewhere with some links to excellent Bham blogs, which will give you a taste of life in the city.

Agree with posters who have said Birmingham is cosmopolitan and you can have a few roads that would come under desirable and then roads not so desirable right next to them.

A poster above mentioned renting until you get a feel for the area and that seems a good idea. If you concentrate on the primaries then it gives you time to maybe consider moving for catchments for secondary. For Catholic primaries you will move up the waiting list if the children are baptised Catholic. A priest letter does not normally make any difference nor if the parents only are baptised as they are not attending the school.

You could contact admissions at Birmingham City Council and see what they advise for applying to primaries. Moving location may give you special circumstances but it would be good to know the actual procedure of how and when you need to apply.

Brum is very cosmopolitan. I worked with an Italian guy there, amongst many other nationalities and ethnicities.

I'm loving the Birmingham love! I grew up in Kings Heath with the 50 bus being the best bus route in Europe (seriously, you hardly have to wait for a bus, they are so frequent) Happy memories.

I think you need to think about DH's commmute and for you, getting into town to get the train.

Wondering if we should sell up our tiny zone 4 London house and move back, we would get so much more for our money!

OP, you will be amazed by how green the city is too.

The ONLY downside is the travel to get to any kind of seaside.

1. Swarthmore Rd is fine. Must be a few house up from where my parents used to live Primary would be Northfield Manor. Is fine. Very multi cultural - get lots of nationalities there, particularly staff studying at the university. Might make it easier to get a place as get people at Univ. on short term contracts who leave after 2 or 3 years.
2. South Rd. Also a really nice road. I'd definitely be interested in that if I'd sold. Really convenient for everywhere. Not sure why KingsHeathen dislikes it ? They are nice houses, big drives, potential to do up differently if you want to, lovely big gardens, close to station but not backing on to it in terms of noise, etc. If you are Church goers you would (if able to apply on time) easily get into St Laurence from there although less of a chance if applying late. You are within easy walk of The Meadows, Turves Green, St Brigids and Bellfield too. St Brigids is a Catholic school.
3. Quinton Rd..... I don't know the houses so well there, and there's no floor plan, but it looks nice enough. It is quite a busy road (of traffic going to the University or Hospital , but the houses are quite well set back from the road. You'd get into Paganel from there, not sure about St Mary's (the CAtholic school in Harborne). Would be super convenient for your dh, as could stroll through to the university from there.

The last one (Howes Rise) I don't know at all - looks new build. Again, convenient for the university. Not sure which school you'd get to... maybe St Marys (SElly Oak - is CofE, not the same as St Mary's Harborne) or maybe Jervoise or Princethorpe. Potentially you'd get into Our Lady of St Rose and St Lima if you are looking for a Catholic school. I don't know much about any of them though. You wouldn't be in a villagy feel community there mind. No particular cohesive community.

HTH

Lilyblue feel free to PM me if you want, particularly if you end up visiting Harborne as that's where I live! I'd be more than happy to talk you through what my experience has been (all good!). Like you, I wasn't from London originally but lived there for over 15 years (s west and then s east) before we moved here in 2016. Just like you, we knew nothing about Birmingham at all, so came up for a fact-finding weekend, drove around a few areas and then came back to view properties on our shortlist. Luckily, we got our favourite!
I know it probably feels hugely overwhelming right now (and we had a pre-schooler so not as stressful schools-wise) but you'll get there. And if you're like us you won't look back! It has totally been the right decision for our family.

If you're a runner Boldmere might be a good call, lots of running clubs and Sutton Park to run in, plus a lovely community and Catholic schools, so the school issue might not be a problem for you. I stand by my previous comment that the Cross City Line can make for a really horrid commute at times (but I've been doing it for years so I guess it can't be that bad).

@tatlerer pmd you!

Lilyblue yep, got it and will reply properly later!

I live in Kings Norton & used to work for UoB a year or so ago. If you are relying on public transport then the trains can be very unreliable in autumn/winter but there are several bus routes and I even used to walk some days via the canal route (and just for the heck of it in the summer), lots of staff and students cycle in via the canal route too.

I'm not sure the trains are unreliable in winter - they nearly always run. But they can be late/delayed or one cancelled during the leaf fall period. I've been commuting by train for 15 years and I can only remember a handful of times where I've not been able to get home by train and I've had to use the bus instead.

Depends where you're getting on and off, trains don't stop at all stations during leaf fall period, so if one gets cancelled (which is a regular occurrence) it can really delay you by at least half an hour, which isn't great when you have childcare to get back for. I've had numerous experiences of not being able to get home by train at all. But the rest of the year it's pretty good!

Used to live there. Most of above advice looks spot on to me! Especially the PP who made a list of places to avoid. I would agree that Shirley, Solihull etc are lovely. Edgbaston is very much an area of contrasts - some bits are very inner city and then there are some really nice houses. Kings Heath and Moseley are lovely. Acocks Green and Olton are close to about 3 train stations. You will however also have to look (if you are commuting to London by train) at where the local station goes to in Birmingham centre and if that will get you to London easily or not. There are at least 3 inner city stations and the 2 Acocks Green stations both go to Moor St Station.

I used to live in Olton. Nice area but it would be a PITA for commuting to the University - the trains go to Moor St / Snow Hill and you'd have to walk for 10 minutes to New Street to get the connecting train. Driving would also be frustrating imo. You would also struggle for connections to London for the same reason - the easiest option would be to drive to International and get a train from there.

Only just seen this the areas you highlighted and some of the properties are all very different so it really depends what you want....

Bromsgrove - great town, good schools, great motorway access and if you need train to London you can go to NEC/international rather than new street very easily. Same applies to Redditch which is cheaper but Bromsgrove nicer.

Stanmore road - that's a big fat no I speak as someone who had owned property there it is bedsit land not for families

Harborne - lovely and maybe the most "London" feel but beware of areas that claim to be harborne when they aren't

Other areas to consider -

Villages like Hagley/clent/belbroughton more expensive but good access and great schools

Stourbridge - great access and schools more awkward for London as have to get into bham first

Leamington spa / Warwick - if you want to live further out but have great access to London

Halesowen - someone else mentioned great for Birmingham and the uni, no trains though
Be careful of areas marked as halesowen or stourbridge when they are in fact lye/quarry bank

Bournville - Cadbury land really near uni and lovely, has train

Moseley - again near the uni, no train, quite artsy thinks it's a bit cooler than it is!

Sutton Coldfield someone mentioned -too far north for uni and London access - well not if you want an easy journey

Kidderminster - further out and cheaper, great access to Birmingham. Depending on side you are on can also get train from worcester to London

Hope this helps!

Just thought I would update you.

Coming to Birmingham on Friday for my first time!

We are going to look around and we are going to see these properties.

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-70677863.html
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-63173383.html?premiumA=true

And on Saturday the 6th Jan

These properties:

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-62544208.html

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-62543665.html?premiumA=true

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-62543623.html?premiumA=true

What would you buy?

So exciting!!

Thank you all

Lovely new houses built onto what was Selly Oak hospital on Raddlebarn Road.

All nice, one word of advice for kings Heath and kings Morton check schools carefully, my sister lived round there and thought she was in the catchment area for the "good"one but wasn't, all the alternatives offered weren't good so she moved.
The Northfield house is a good buy and literally right next to bournville but personally I wouldn't live in northfield compared to the others. Will be nearest to the uni though. Good luck!

Kings Norton even!

I like the first house, lots of space, ready to move into. I like the dining kitchen area, room for a play/day room and then the retreat into the front reception on an evening. I would claim the top floor and use the small bedroom as a dressing room.

I would check the parking situation, Station Road can be quite busy, there are no photos of the garden, is it big enough. This might be picky but are there enough cupboards in the kitchen, where would you keep the ironing board, hoover, tumble dryer - I can't see a utility room. If there was a cupboard under the stairs I could live with that

For primaries, I am not certain but you may get into Colmore Infant School, Kings Heath Primary and for the Catholic Schools there is St Dunstans on Drayton Road, Kings Heath and in Mosely there are a couple but I cannot remember their names.

Kings Heath has a running club, all levels of running, I am sure I have seen them running on a Tuesday evening, they have a website, there is also a park run on a Saturday morning at Cannon Hill Park but 5k I feel would just be a warm up......

Lily so sorry I haven't replied to your mesg yet. We're having house renovations done and that plus Christmas is taking its toll! I will come back to you soon I promise!

I have friends that live on Franklin Road! It's right next to Cotteridge Park- great for kids and the Friends of the Park arrange a fantastic festival every summer. We went this year and had a brilliant time!

We will be around on Saturday 6th if you fancy a coffee between house viewings and I can pass on any ex-Londoner intel- I'll include my number when I message you.