Harborne, Birmingham?

[SummaLuvin]

DH and I are a young-ish couple (late twenties, early thirties) looking to settle down in what would hopefully be our forever home. We're thinking Harborne could be an ideal town/suburb for us, but were wondering what people thought it was like to live in?

-is there a nice community feel?
-is it possible to make friends, or do people keep to themselves?
-does it feel like living in a town, or like living in a city?
-are houses with drives/garages really that rare?
-what are state schools like in the area?
-is it a good place to raise children?

I appreciate any and all advice, but in all honesty we are not that interested in being on the outskirts of Birmingham like Halesowen, Stourbridge... I have heard great things about them and am sure they are lovely, but if we are that far away from the centre a lot of the benefits are gone of being in Birmingham are gone and in that case we would be considering places like Stone, Nantwich, Lichfield...

Moseley, Kings Heath, Bournville, Strichley... are the other suburbs in consideration, though we weren't as immediately taken by them as Harborne. For some reason I can't get on with Edgbaston, it is beautiful, has some great pubs, and I know it's really affluent, but seems to have no vibe to it, a little souless.

We are trying to be sensible and consider schools. But it really is difficult thinking about them given it's likely 6 years until we even have one in primary, and so much can change in that time!!! I don't like the idea of the pressure of an 11+ or having to go private, but there is plenty of time before that is an issue as it seems primary is fine.

What is your budget?
Have you considered Sutton Coldfield? Gorgeous park and stunning properties.

I'm going to be a pain and not share my budget. I don't want to in case someone I know in real life can link it back to me via other threads, and I feel quite private and personal about finances. But I have looked on Rightmove and my budget is enough for my criteria in Harborne, though patience will be required for the right one to come up, I'm sure it will.

I have considered Sutton Coldfield, and I have discounted it. It feels to me a little uppity, keeping-up-with-the-jones', and fake. A few people I know there are very concerned with flashing wealth and being Barry Big Bollocks and that's just not me, or DH. While I'm under no illusions that Harborne is a nice, expensive, and affluent area, it feels more down to earth, casual, understated, and real to me. Though the is only my experience and I don't want to insult anyone here who lives in SC.

Harborne is gorgeous. Full of lovely people. I grew up there and family is still there. It's true that parking is a nightmare in the immediate streets off the high street, as they're mainly terraced houses with no drives. But you don't have to go much further to find lovely houses, semis and detached with drives, e.g around Lordswood Rd, Court Oak Road, Fitzroy Avenue - pricy though. And also this can make the most desirable schools less likely but you don't need to worry about that for a while,

Harborne - like Selly Oak - is a catchment for Birmingham University, so very diverse and cosmopolitan. You'll have to decide where you are on that as it's key to it's "vibe". Certainly the High St (farmers market one Saturday a month) is lively.

Parking is like the fifth horseman of the apocalypse, depending which area you choose.

There are some classic wide-boulevard type roads.

However, be well aware that the HMO mob are out in force, so a lot of homes are being turned into "city living" apartments.

You're not far from Woodgate Valley park, with it's wildlife and horse riding. And while I have yet to see them, deer sneak into Quinton at times.

You'll be within walking distance of the QE2 and Birmingham Womens hospital, as well as Oak Tree Lane rehab. Also very quick access to the M5, if you know how.

When we looked at Harborne back in 2001, a colleague said "ah, yes, the Chelsea of Birmingham". Which tells me more how Brummies think of Chelsea than any particular qualities of Harborne.

There used to be a railway station in Harborne that went to Halesowen.

I grew up in Harborne on the Moor Pool estate and still go back to see my dad. It's pretty much the same as it was when J was growing up in the 70s. Very quiet, very green and a real community feel. Would love to live their again. Not all of harborne is quite so nice but there are a lot of bits that are. Far too many cars now though!

There used to be a railway station in Harborne that went to Halesowen.

About 60 years ago. That's another reason Halesowen isn't so great - the nearest train stations are Old Hill and Cradley Heath which are both a world away from what OP clearly wants with Harborne.

I live near Harborne, used to work at the QE. It’s really nice, great schools, good selection of pubs and restaurants, but overpriced in my opinion, shopping on the high street is poor, it’s incredibly busy and parking is a nightmare. The houses are beautiful, but you will pay a fortune for them, many people who live there work at the QE or University. I think Bournville is nicer, but doesn’t have any nightlife so if you like going out then Harborne or Moseley are your best bets.

Kings Heath is very nice as well. To save a bit of money you could try Kings Norton, this is very popular with a lot of my doctor colleagues as you get a lot more bang for your buck, Stirchley high street is becoming more gentrified as well, lots of cool independent coffee shops, bars and restaurants. So could be a good investment, as prices are increasing but no where near as high as Harborne. Further afield Alvechurch is lovely as is Stourbridge, some parts of Halesowen are beautiful as well.

@SummaLuvin
interesting comments re Sutton as I know it well (lived nearby for 8 years) with a few friends including senior Drs I know living there.I do not really recognise that description at all. Maybe it has changed but I only moved last September to Hampshire so doubt it very much!

I have lived in Sutton Coldfield for the past 18 years and moved from Bournville way. I am not flashy or Barry Big Bollocks I just got sick of the congestion around South Brum. Once i had dc my opinion really changed on SC which I had once thought was boring, superb schools, lovely housing (I had an Edwardian Semi then a 1930s semi) and open green spaces. Maybe it isnt to everyones taste but such is life.

Lack of a railway station is the least of Halesowens problems, I'm afraid.

But they have a medieval church with a devils door, which Harborne doesn't. Very little traces of Harbornes Roman antecedents either.

some parts of Halesowen are beautiful as well.

Leasows is a nice gem. With the added excitement of the Lapal Tunnel - jerry built and collapsed after a few years. Almost like a metaphor ...

@BrummieNC yeah if you see my previous posts I'm definitely anti Halesowen

Hello, would appreciate some advice please ( first post so not quite got all the abbreviations!)
My 26 yr old DD is working at B’ham Womens Hospital. Currently renting in Harborne but hoping to buy first house soon. Can’t afford Harborne so we’re looking at Quinton or Weoly Castle. Any tips, opinions on where’s good-bad in these areas wd be gratefully received. Be nice to be in an area with a nice community feel, she has epilepsy so I’m really keen there are good neighbourly folk around. She loves to walk to work but I appreciate this may not be possible from these areas…
many thanks for your thoughts.

You might want to start your own thread on this to get more replies, but just my 2p worth...

Weoly Castle doesn’t have a good reputation locally (but tbh I don’t have first-hand experience). Quinton is very residential with lots of decent 1930s semis and, I think, offers good value for money. For walking to work, your DD could look at Selly Oak (though it’s very studenty so may be lacking the community feel). Selly Park (near Cannon Hill Park) is nicer but more expensive.

To throw in a curve ball, Bearwood (just north of Harborne) is very community focused and has some lovely 2/3 bed Victorian terraces and (fewer) 1920s/30s semis. It also has two great parks (Lightwoods and Warley Woods) as well as a high street (Bearwood Road), which I don’t think Quinton really has.

What’s your daughter’s budget, if you don’t mind sharing?

I’d suggest Stirchley, walkable to the hospitals (or train in less than five minutes). Lots of smaller terraces, plus a lot of new housing going up. Cotteridge is also well positioned, but prices tend to be higher than Stirchley.

I don’t like Weoley Castle - it’s very mixed and I’m not sure I would buy there. I don’t know Quinton well but I do know a lot of estate agents try to tell people it’s Harborne when it’s definitely not.

we’re looking at Quinton or Weoley Castle.
Quinton is nice but further away. I don't know about transport from there, probably not good.
Weoley Castle is a 'devil is in the detail' thing. WC proper is not so good but it borders on to Shenley Manor, which is part of the BVT, and much better. BVT is the Bournville Village Trust which was set up over a century ago by the Quaker owners of Cadbury's to create a pleasant place for their workers to live. Solid houses, good plots of land, lots of green spaces. Because of leasehold reform, lots of people have now bought their freeholds so the Trust doesn't hold so much sway but the legacy lives on.

I have friends in Harborne and my NCT antenatal group were all from there and they were super snobby! (I lived in Bearwood).

It's nice but I've never really understood the hype. Incredibly expensive mid terraces with no parking and school catchments are tricky, my friend's children are all at private schools.

It is close to the city centre though.

We live in Stourbridge, nice centre, some sense of community and mixture of house prices and good schools,
30 minutes to Birmingham by train.

Great for families but not particularly exciting for a couple your age though.

Most the people I know who have lived in Harborne bought there when younger and then moved further out when they had kids so more towards Bournville, Solihul or Hagley.

ive lived in Moseley and Kings Heath and spent a lot of time in Harborne as s friend lived there.

Def real parking issues in Harborne as lots of narrow streets of terraced houses. But this is also true of Moseley and central Kings Heath.
Out of them all I Ioved moseley, more community feel because its smaller and feels like a village. Its also not as naice as Harborme and is more diverse, Lots to do within walking distance too. Cannon Hill Park, Moseley Park and Pool, Highbury Park and Hall.'great pubs. restaurants and coffee shops, the market once a month and Moseley Festival

I agree with @SellFridges and @senua
I would look more at Selly Oak - around Weoley Hill to Manor Farm Park, NOT the student area - or Stichley or Cotteridge or Some parts of Northfield / Longbridge / Rednal area.
A lot of Birmingham's suburbs are quite mixed, so people will say "Not Northfield" or "Not Longbridge" or "Not Selly Oak" but there are some nice places to live around all of those, and you have easy transport in to the University Station along the cross City line.

Cotteridge is a lovely place to live, lots of period houses and a park in the middle of it, next to Bournville and felt very safe when I lived there.

Hi, thank you for that we will have a look.
With help from the bank of M and D she’s around the 220 mark. Less would be good, we could do a bit more for an exactly right house, but that general ball park.

Just a few minutes on Rightmove around Northfield

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/131014850#/media?channel=RES_BUY&id=media0&ref=floorPlanPage

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/131099753#/media?channel=RES_BUY&id=media0&ref=floorPlanPage

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/130606712#/media?activePlan=1&channel=RES_BUY&id=media0 This is the one I would probably go for

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/130149158#/?channel=RES_BUY

or, bit of a curve ball, as I don't know what she thins of flats, but this is a nice development, and obviously initial outlay is a lot less, although would have to think about the heating system and I haven't looked into service charges etc...... still, at £60K less than top price....... and, it is a nice little estate

Oops.... the curve ball link www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/126572921#/?channel=RES_BUY

Ah bless your heart that’s very kind of you.
Well after walking with her from BWH to top of Worlds End Lane in Quinton yesterday, and lots of discussion, she definitely wants the ability to walk ( good bus routes too!) It took us a slow hour, but that was stopping lots to look at streets/ houses so I think she could do in 50 mins.
Im a way that’s useful as it puts a border on the areas she’ll want to consider.

I wandered around Weoly Castle area yesterday and while there’s some lovely little avenues etc there’s also a lot of “no”- but Corisande Road area feels nice- I’d thought that was Selly Oak so dismissed but I was taken with it.
(I hope I’m not sounding mean - house hunting turns you into a bit of a raging Tory it seems…🙈)
We’re viewing two in Quinton tomorrow, so wish us luck!
Oh and definitely a house rather than a flat.
Thank you 🙏