Good place to buy house and live in Birmingham

[Gorgygeorge]

I would like to buy a 3 bed semi-detached or terraced house in Birmingham, and would like to know some good places apart from Sutton coldfield, Solihull, Harborne, Bournville and Moseley

May I ask what it is that draws you to Birmingham? If your DH can work from anywhere? If he needs to get in to Birmingham for meetings occasionally then I think for your budget you would need to be outside Birmingham but on a decent train link.
Have you considered Lichfield, Tamworth? The areas of Birmingham where you could get a 3-bed for £160k won't have good schools for your boys.

You could look at Great Barr and try for Barr Beacon secondary. You won't get a family home in Sutton for that price, you possibly would Erdington but the secondary schools arent great.

DS has a house in Hawkesley, on the edge of Kings Norton. It had a good reputation when he moved there, then it went downhill a bit but I think it is getting better again.

It's right on the edge of the Birmingham conurbation and he can walk five minutes and be in Truly Rural Worcestershire.

There's a local medical centre with a bus stop outside it which has a half-hourly service direct to the (Queen Elizabeth) hospital. (Next to the university.) The bus goes on via Harborne where there is a Waitrose. In the opposite direction the 48 bus goes to Northfield where there is a large Sainsbury's.

Hawkesley has a small shopping square (with a pharmacy), and a Church primary school. Ark Primary Academy and Ark Kings Academy (secondary) are about ten minutes walk away, although I have no idea as to the quality of the education. King Edward's Schools are about 25 minutes away on the 35 bus route (which also goes to Kings Heath, Moseley, and the city centre. Kings Norton train station (on the cross-city line) is a good 20-minute walk, however, and there is no direct bus - you need to change. Junction 2 on the M42 is about 15 minutes away.

Hawkesley Square is on top of Wast Hill tunnel on the Worcester and Birmingham canal. The tunnel emerges near the Academies and the towing path has been upgraded to be suitable for cycling, with a sealed surface. It's a popular commuting route to the city.

I don't know about house prices now but when DS bought his (4 bed) house it was under your budget.

Hi, you asked about Kings Norton, the parts I though were nice were close to the secondary schools King's Norton girls and boys schools. Basically the parts close to Bournville. I went to the girls school and had a lot of friends who lived live, mind you that was back in the late 80s and 90s so a lot could have changed. As to schools, King's Norton girls secondary school was rated outstanding at the last ofsted. I don't know about primary though I'm afraid. You asked someone about Northfield. I grew up there and was very happy there but it was rough back then and I think it's really gone downhill and has a lot of crime. You should definitely check crime rates in bham when youre deciding where to live as there's a lot of crime there. If I was to live there now I'd probably choose the outskirts like Barnt Green.

That should say 'I had a lot of friends who lived in Kings Norton'

Correction - from Hawkesley Square the 48 bus does stop at Kings Norton station, so there's no need to change. From DS's house it is necessary to change (but he usually walks).

Ark Kings is not a school I would recommend.
I would choose Bournville School over Ark Kings for boys, despite the Ofsted rating, I know quite a number of people with children there that are happy and doing well. I wouldn't choose either if I had a choice though...

As I said, I know nothing about the quality of the education at Ark Kings, but other schools exist, although further away. For the future, Cadbury 6th Form College is about a 15-minute walk/short bus ride from Hawkesley Square.

The house next to DS's house recently sold for £135k apparently.

Kings Norton Girls and Boys Schools are different schools to the Ark Schools.

I think with that budget it's either about buying a wreck of a house that will need doing up/extensive renovation in one of the slightly more sought after areas. Or buying a slightly nicer house in a less sought after area. So it's partly about which option appeals most to you.

@Crazypanda85, thanks. Did your sister bought the property as brand new for 130k ? And you think say might be for Northfield?

I think a lot of opinions on this thread, mine included, depend on where in Birmingham you are from. Brummies love their city but every single one of us will tell you our bit is the best and be insulted if someone disagrees.
The only way you will know is to come and look and feel.
All the places I have listed that I would live are places I would feel safe to walk down a dark street on my own, places I have said I wouldn't live I wouldn't feel able to do that. That doesn't make them not nice places they are just not my places or they are places I can attach not so nice things happening in.
Spend a bit of time here and you'll know where is for you.

We bought a 3 bed 1930’s semi in June for 165k in Northfield, it does need completely renovating though, houses that are “done”
On our street go for 190-210k as it’s a fairly nice part of Northfield. For your budget I would suggest Northfield and Longbridge, just avoid Frankley Beeches like the plague. We live on one of the streets off Tessall lane near the A38 and have no trouble at all, really love it here, street is lovely, full of nice families and retired couples. You could find a 3 bed semi here for your budget if you don’t mind doing some decorating. We used to live in Longbridge near the train station and that was okay, again no trouble, but here is much nicer imo and very good value for money.

Northfield and Longbridge have a bad rep, but there are some nice parts, not Harbone nice, but safe, peaceful and well maintained streets with good value housing.

Harborne*

No, it wasn't on the new housing development. I don't think anything would be as cheap as 130k new, unless you did part buy

I can’t think of anywhere in South Birmingham where you will get a three bed for less than £160k in catchment for a good primary, and a good secondary. The Kings Norton Boys and Girls schools are over subscribed and their catchments don’t stretch much further than a mile or so, unless a sibling is already there.

I’d set up an alert for the parts of Northfield mentioned above, and maybe Longbridge.

DD has attended Brownie events in Hawkesley. I wouldn’t leave my car out of site and the Brown Owl mentioned that the unit struggles to attract girls as people don’t like going around the estate after dark. There are lots of new houses (mostly social?) going up just off the A441 there though and Brown Owl is a bit mad.

Bearwood is near Harborne but much cheaper. Not as naice but still a decent area

I think there is quite a bit to be said for Bearwood. (In Sandwell not Birmingham)

I have friends in Bearwood, and I agree it's a decent place. Secondary schools would be an issue for boys though! Perhaps if you were more over Rowley (train station) or down towards Halesowen so you could get Earls or Windsor?

Great Barr is nice (and the schools are good from what people have told me.) Also it's better than Kingstanding, Perry barr and Erdington. I did not like Erdington at all when I looked at it.

But 160k max budget is tricky unless you find a fixer upper or go to auction. I looked at Northfield, Hollywood, some parts of Quinton, South Yardley, Longbridge, Stourbridge etc. I wouldn't mind any of these areas. Some streets are better than others but you get a feel for them by booking viewings and walking around, alot.

Keep looking you may get a bargain but for a nicer not naice area then 160k is tight.

By cool I just mean not the coffee shop/bars type of place.
Just old fashioned suburbia.

Don't get sucked into the south Birmingham being better thing. It's street to street just like anywhere and people really pay a premium for socalled naice...

I'd rather have nice, secure, affordable housing that's safe with decent and good schools. It may not be naice but dies it need to be?

Birmingham is actually one of the greenest cities and has loads of parks. The areas I chose to look at were near to parks but there are loads and lots of recreation grounds.

This isn't a pretty house but it's an area I feel safe in and you'd get it in budget.
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-84499388.html
I'd send primary kids to Lyndon Green and secondary to KESH.

It’ll be ‘in year’ admissions for all your children so schools will be tricky. I doubt your location will make much difference as you’ll be offered whichever schools have places.

If you’re up for a bit of statistical research, then here are some useful websites.

maps.cdrc.ac.uk/#/geodemographics/imde2019/default/BTTTFFT/10.989985059309573/-2.0010/52.5249/

www.police.uk/

www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/schools-by-type?step=default&table=schools&region=330&la-name=birmingham&geographic=la&for=secondary

We used to live in Solihull area and honestly, I was really happy in Birmingham. We lived in Shirley and then Olton, I don't know if these are more within budget? The schools in Solihull are excellent.