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

Coleshill or Shirley are great and just outside Birmingham but within 1 train stop. Much nicer environment than city centre and better schools

If you are looking at new houses near Longbridge, then you are almost certainly looking at the new housing on what used to be the massive car plant that shut down about 15 years ago. It left a HUGE amount of unemployment in the area but there has since been a LOT of redevelopment - hence the ginormous MS ; Bournville College; the Giant Sainsbury and the retail park they are on. There's a great Youth Centre near there, and you are in a lovely part of the City with Cofton Park being a great outdoor space on your doorstep and then the Licky Hills (which are lovely) very close too.
Yet you still have Longbridge station, which is where the cross City Line (ie, very regular trains in to the City Centre) starts.
You are close to plenty of okay schools, and also amenities like the cinema, pubs (especially for food) gyms, Churches etc. Longbridge itself doesn't have aHigh Street in the traditional sense, but it is a hop step and a jump from there into Rubery for those amenities.
You are close to the M5 and the M42 if you need to travel.

What you find in Birmingham, is most parts have quite mixed areas - you can't say 'all' of one area is lovely or awful - it can vary within a couple of streets

You couldn’t pay me to live in Erdington! Probably the most depressing place in the area.

Bearwood, Quinton, Sutton Coldfield, Lichfield & Redditch are all much nicer. You have the cross city train line to get you into New Street Station from Sutton Coldfield, Lichfield or Redditch.

Bromsgrove is awful, Kidderminster schools are terrible according to brother who lives in the area

I'd second Coleshill .. I lived there for many years ... it has good schools and a nice community feel .. 15 minutes on train into Brum. It's a nice safe area and a great place to bring up kids

Coleshill is a weird place. It's really close to several main roads (A446, M42, M6) but nowhere near any junctions so you get all the negatives (noise, pollution) without any of the positives. Coleshill Parkway station is based up near the industrial end of town, nowhere near the residential bit.

Have a look at Wylde Green, you might get something in your price range.

It really does depend what part of Erdington. B24 postcodes are generally better. Also, look at Todd that border Walmley and Wylde Green.

*roads

I’m from Warley (B68) right next to Warley Woods, lovely houses, quiet roads and would fit your 250k budget mostly. Good transport links to M5/M6, Hagley road and Wolverhampton Road and bus routes into other towns and Birmingham city itself. I would avoid West Bromwich to live in but the shopping area has been recently redeveloped so good to pop into with a big supermarket, Next etc. Quinton is lovely but take note of what a PP said about being under differing councils. Warley is under Sandwell and Quinton comes under Birmingham. Selly Oak, Bournville, Shirley, Hall Green, Kings Heath, Solihull all nice areas. Check out Longbridge...think they are developing the housing there and also good shopping etc and good links to city centre. Handsworth Wood is better than Handsworth but would avoid probably. Jewellery Quarter is up and coming these days as is Perry Barr due to the Commonwealth Games coming but wouldn’t live in Perry Barr personally. Avoid Aston, Nechells Lozells, Cape Hill, Hockley.