Buying a house in Birmingham

[Kate2020]

Hey there
I'm new posting on this forum although have observed for a while
Partner and I are TTC and looking for houses to buy in Birmingham. Budget is 250,000 although could possibly push it up 20k or so if we love the house
Just wondered if any fellow net mums are able to offer any advice on locations. I've heard harborne is very nice and close to city centre (partner will be working there) but it is rather expensive! Does anyone know what Quinton is like?
We will be going to visit soon but it would be lovely to chat to people living there already to gain an 'insiders view'
Thanks

Hi there, @Kate2020 - we're just popping on to let you know that we've moved your thread over to Property/DIY. Hopefully you'll get lots of useful advice here.

Best of luck with your move.

Erdington is great value for money and excellent links to the city centre. Bit rough round the edges but good schools and straight down the Aston expressway into Birmingham, or quick trains from Gravelly Hill/Erdington station.

Harborne is lovely, but definitely among the top end of house prices in Birmingham. You could get a 2-bed Victorian house c10-15 mins walk from the High St for £250-£270k. Or if you’re lucky a 3-bed that needs work or is a more modern build.

A lot of Harborne-ites have headed north to Bearwood - an abundance of Victorian houses, good primary schools, two lovely parks and a decent if a bit rundown high street (the Bearwood Road). It’s a bit closer to the centre of town than Harborne, though neither has a train station so you’re relying on bus/car. Bearwood falls under Sandwell Council rather than Birmingham, which is a good thing as their council is in better financial health, so the services tend to be better.

I’ve lived in both for several years. If we could have afforded to buy a period 3/4-bed in Harborne we’d probably have stayed there. But Bearwood is great - and there’s nothing in Harborne that matches living opposite Warley Woods. We feel very lucky.

I wouldn't recommend Harborne in terms of commutes into the City Centre. It is a 'naice' place to live, but parking is very limited in many of the roads and whilst Primary schools are good, secondary are less so. You won't get anywhere really in Harborne for £250K

Anywhere on the North side (eg Erdington, above) means you probably have to cross the Aston Distressway (from Spaghetti Junction in to the City Centre) and that isn't a commute I'd fancy (I do it in the opposite direction and the queus can be horrendous).

We have a cross City Trainline, which would give your dh other options (including Erdington ).
Birmingham is trying to drive through a 'Clean Air Zone' and also Parking charges on private company land so having an alternative to driving would be wise if you can settle anywhere.

If you are TTC, I presume you only need 2+ bedrooms ?
Might be worth you looking around Stirchley, which is by Bournville station, but also on the Rea Valley cycle route and also on bus routes.

One in Northfield
Some brand new ones in Cotteridge - by Kings Norton Station or buses into Town. Not sure if I like the houses, but Cotteridge is a very convenient place to live - for schools, a lovely park, shops, and things going on in the neighbourhood as well as transport
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-86621201.html This one is about a minute's walk from Bournville Station (and near Cadbury's Bournville Village). Is only on street parking but I think you can find spaces near your hose most of the time.
Much more space and can walk into Cotteridge / Kings Norton station from there
A new one near Selly Oak Station Nice development on the site of the old Selly Oak hospital. Borders on to Bournville as well, which is considered a desirable area.
Another newish one on same new estate
This looks to be a real bargain - right in Bournville What I can't see is where / how you'd park. Something to look in to ??
Cotteridge with much more space and potential to extend Really convenient location again]]

Kings Heath is another area a lot of young families like.
Not on the train line at the moment but they are promising to reopen and old line and rebuild a station there. Very busy, thriving area, and you get more space in your house and more garden than you do in Stirchley or in any of the new houses I've listed.

Lots of suburbs of Birmingham have quite mixed areas so don't write off / or set your heart on one area, but you have to narrow it down to a few roads.

You could try a bit further out, Bromsgrove, Kidderminster, Stourbridge? Kidderminster is very reasonably priced and is on the train line to snow hill.

Thanks for all your help
It is much appreciated

What are Erdington and Handsworth like? And also handsworth woods? They seem to be the most reasonably priced areas

I would avoid both Handsworth and Erdington.

Handsworth Wood is pretty different from Handsworth.
Handsworth isn't usually an area people aspire to, shall we say.
I don't know much about Erdington, I'm afraid, wrong side of the City for me.

Handsworth Wood is a bit 'posher' than Handsworth but generally not very nice areas. Northfield isn't bad on a budget or look further out to Sutton, Lichfield etc. All decent train connections.

Thanks for all your help
Does anyone know what West Bromwich is like?

West Brom not great but does have a few High St shops. Some nice houses around Sandwell Valley.

Traditionally south west Brum was considered the nicer part. And is closest to city centre. Harborne and some parts of Edgbaston quite smart. Quinton mostly nice, ordinary 1930s semis (Nearby Woodgate Valley area is much less attractive). In the south east Yardley and Sheldon are not bad. 'Posh' people live in places outside Brum like Solihull or Hagley.

Great Barr is nice and near West Brom but nicer. Its also nicer than Quinton.

It also depends if you are after nice or naice. Some areas you pay a premium for naice but to be honest I think you are paying for white and middle class not actually anything nicer. Have a look around and walk around.

Halesowen gets my vote. Great schools and nice houses it's not too far from Quinton. Or two good primary schools in oldbury the part by Bearwood.

Update
We had a look around various new build developments (as will be using help to buy)
Longbridge seemed lovely! There's a massive new M&S right near the development too

Thanks for all your help and advice

If everyone has lived in or knows Longbridge well it would be nice to hear their views. The area seemed nice and reasonably priced but we are planning to go again and have another look around

Do a double-check where you are! Longbridge is right on the boundary between Birmingham and Worcestershire so you will get differences (rates, services, maternity care, schools, etc). If you are near to M&S then it sounds like you are in Brum.
It's a handy location: one way you have a mere 20 minute train ride to the city centre, the other way you have countryside practically on your doorstep.
There are plans to develop Longbridge but they have been a long time coming - it's been 15 years since Rover went!

Long ridge is quite run down, about 10 mins away is Bromsgrove, much better and in Worcestershire. Avoid Rubery, Frankley etc

I would second a previous poster and say avoid Erdington and Handsworth .. I've just moved to Harborne and I love it ... I've got rid of my car as parking terrible !! I'm living the bus life ... we have grown up kids though so no idea about schools and it is expensive .... people I work with live in Cotteridge and Stirchley which are meant to be up and coming areas ... have you looked at Bearwood too ??

Have a look at Solihull. Try near the train stations for a quick commute into Birmingham; olton, Solihull, widney manor, Shirley, Whitlock's end. Hall Green is also a very nice area within Birmingham, lots of parks and big houses for your money.

I used to live in Longbridge and have bought in Northfield this year, they have their good and bad parts tbh. Where we live is nice, no trouble at all and good for commuting, houses are very reasonable, our 3 bed 1930’s semi was £165k (needs completely renovating would be around £200k if done), but avoid Frankley like the plague.

For 250k you will struggle in Harborne, Kings Heath, Solihull, Sutton and Moseley (which are well known as the nicer parts of Bham) and will end up having to buy in the rougher parts or a very small flat or two bed if you’re lucky. Avoid Handsworth, Bearwood, Smethwick and Weoley Castle like the plague and anything around Aston. Erdington is an up and coming area next to Sutton with good transport links, but imo is still very rough overall and multicultural.

I would look at nicer parts of Quinton or Northfield (heading to Bournville or near Northfield train station) and maybe Cotteridge, Wythall and Hollywood if you’re budget will stretch that far.

*your

The poster says she has budget of up to 270 so no way will you get decent sized family home in the “naice” areas.

OP I can vouch for Erdington as I bought there and prices have significantly risen. There are nice coffee shops and eateries opening which is improving the vibe but the high street still has a long way to go!

Unfortunately I am ethnic but with a very respectable job so it’s not all rough around here! With your budget I would consider it as a potential mid-term house

Have a look at coleshill
Has a train station local high street decent schools