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Original poster

Where to buy a house near Birmingham?

592 replies

FreddoBaggyMac · 04/09/2009 15:27

We have just found out that DH's job is moving to Birmingham and the likelihood is we're going to have to move pretty quickly - before the end of the year. It's going to be hard for us as we have four small children (all under 6)and no family or friends around there and we don't know the area at all, and also DD1 is really settled at her primary school here which is just a few minutes walk from our house...

Anyway, we need to look to the future and I'd be really grateful for any advice anyone can give me about buying a house in that area. Which areas are good, which to avoid etc... we have no idea at all as we've never even been there.

We basically want to be in a nice area for our DCs to grow up in and as short a commute to Birmingham as possible for DH. We need three bedrooms and a study and would like a garden. Most important, we need to be walking distance to a good Catholic primary school. We prefer older style properties (Victorian or earlier) but we need somewhere that doesn't require any renovation (or preferably even decorating!) as we just won't have the time for at least five years! Our budget is going to be around £250k.

Have heard that Bournville is nice - but there seems to be lots of areas within Bournville, I think Bournville village is going to be too expensive for us. Have also heard good things about Edgbaston, Harborne and Moseley - but again I suppose all of these places have good and bad areas within them... Have also thought about living further out (Whitwick, Malvern?) but perhaps the commuting time would be too long?

I'd be completely grateful for any advice from anyone as we're really stuck - we're not even going to have much opportunity to go and look at houses as we'll need to move quickly and have our DCs to consider (not easy to househunt trailing 4 DCs behind you!)
If anyone could provide me with links to houses for sale that might be suitable for us I'd be eternally grateful!!

Thank you in advance.

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bethylou · 07/09/2009 20:27

Haven't read all the replies, but we live in a village just off the M40 at J13/14 (junctions within half a mile of each other). It would take about an hour to Birmingham I think from here but there is an excellent Catholic primary school within 10 mins drive where the houses sound about right and about the right price (I worked as a peripetetic teacher in the school and looked for similar house near that area by coincidence) Also a good secondary Catholic school in the town (where I went to work today). Look up Royal Leamington Spa and Bishop's Tachbrook and some areas of Warwick Gates and Whitnash (where the older houses are).

cat64 · 07/09/2009 20:49

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CaptainNancy · 07/09/2009 20:54

Wylde Green has really gone down in the last few years though ...the people I know who live there are moving out...

theDMplagiarisedLeonie · 07/09/2009 21:00

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Original poster

FreddoBaggyMac · 07/09/2009 22:17

That house does look great theDM - good price too...

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wychbold · 07/09/2009 22:31

Pah to cat saying "You'd not find older houses" in Rubery. Here's Tolkien's house, apparently it's a holiay let!

cat64 · 07/09/2009 22:57

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wychbold · 07/09/2009 23:07

Things can change so much in just a few streets. The devil is in the detail.

theDMplagiarisedLeonie · 07/09/2009 23:11

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Original poster

FreddoBaggyMac · 08/09/2009 11:05

Hi again everyone. Have had much discussion with DH and will summarise where we are now at.

Thanks again for all your helpful and wonderful posts. Bethylou I think I had previously disregarded leamington as too expensive, but have had another look and it actually looks OK. Like the look of this for instance, any comments?

Norton, Stourbridge was previously my top choice, but DH has had a look at commuting times and as there is no station there it looks as if it will take as long to get from Norton to Birmingham as it would from somewhere like Malvern... so sadly it looks as if norton has gone down the list as it doesn't really offer us much convenience given it is so close to Birmingham.

The next step for us is to check school places and drive down and have a look, these are the areas we'll be focussing on:

Bournville - sounds very picturesque and probably best commute for DH, but I'm worried about schools (particularly secondary) and crime rate - have never lived so close to a big city. Think we'll struggle to get a nice, big enough house in a good area for our money.

Harbourne - Similar to Bournville - but probably even more expensive.

Norton nr Stourbridge - looks lovely and has the rural location that I'd like, looks like we could get a nice big house for our money. However, DH thinks the commute willbe a pain (no train station there).

Bromsgrove - this may have shot up to number 1 favourite! Seems to be quite rural (more so than areas to the north of Birm?) and has a station so better commute. I think we could get a good house for our money. I know it has some bad areas, but hopefully these would be pretty obvious when we look around??

Kidderminister - Both me and DH have a good feeling about it, looks to have some nice houses in our price range - there are some bad comments about it on here I know, but we'll have a look and see what we think...

Sutton Coldfield/ Boldmere - Good for DH's commute, feels like a safe option but not as rural as I would like (I'd prefer countryside to the park). I think we'll struggle to get places in the schools to. May struggle to get a house in budget (theDM - that one you posted looks nice but is on a very busy road, still haven't seen anything that I would go for in our price range)

Lichfield - Similar to Sutton but commute not as good!

Wombourne, Wolverhampton - Probably my number 1 choice, looks like just the kind of place I want my family to grow up in...but the difficulty in commuting to Birm may well rule it out. Will only look at if DH will not be going into the office full time (we'll find that out this week!)

Leamington Spa - Looks lovely, but a long commute

Malvern - same as Leamington.

Any comments?

I think it's a pretty good list to start off our house hunt - so thanks everyone

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Original poster

FreddoBaggyMac · 08/09/2009 11:23

Bet this link does not work as ones from rightmove never seem to!
Anyway, it's a 3 bed (with potential for a study)- Pear tree cottage, west malvern rd in Malvern - looks like my dream house! However it looks quite a way from the school on newtown rd and the station (although I'm sure the walk would be lovely!)
Is it completely not practical (I know the answer is probably yes but just to check )

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Original poster

FreddoBaggyMac · 08/09/2009 12:02

if anyone could tell me a bit more about Malvern I'd be very grateful - there are some lovely houses for sale there. What are the shops like?

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Original poster

FreddoBaggyMac · 08/09/2009 12:07

this looks great in Malvern, nothing to do to it and near station and within our budget... I'm getting excited about Malvern! Does anyone do the commute Malvern to Birmingham?

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Blackduck · 08/09/2009 12:14

Viewed Pear Tree cottage - lovely house, but not that big for 4 children, plus it is surrounded by other houses (difficult to explain)....Malvern to Brum 40 mins if no traffic - it would be largely motorway and then down the Hagley Road to get to Brindley Place...

happywomble · 08/09/2009 12:15

I cannot work out which house it is..what is the price it is on for? I think you would have to check with the school what their admissions criteria. If it takes catholics first and you are practising catholics I expect there would be a fairly wide catchment area.

If you are looking in Malvern I think the area near Malvern Link station would be a good place to look. From memory the houses are slightly cheaper than great malvern and Malvern link station is one stop nearer birmingham. I think there are several roads with red brick victorian houses in Malvern Link and some roads with modern houses slightly further from the station.

The Chase High School in Malvern has a very good reputation (although don't think it is catholic).

If your DH can bear the longer commute I would really recommend Malvern as a place to live. Lots of open space, and you feel safe walking around after dark. Places east of Worc have a different more suburban / near brummie feel to them. (but I am biaised!)

Original poster

FreddoBaggyMac · 08/09/2009 12:17

Thanks Blackduck. It's probably only feasible if DH isn't going into the office full time. Are you looking for houses around that area too then?

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Original poster

FreddoBaggyMac · 08/09/2009 12:19

from your comments I think the last one I linked to would be great for us happywomble. How long does it take from Malvern to Birmingham by train all the way?

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Blackduck · 08/09/2009 12:19

Hi Freddy - yes, we are looking in Malvern (currently live in Brum...)

happywomble · 08/09/2009 12:23

Have just seen your next post. There is a large waitrose with coffee shop in great malvern. I gather there is a new out of town shopping centre at Malvern link with M and S. I can't remember much about the other shops in Great Malvern..probably a range of small shops ..ok for basic shopping but you would go to worcs or cheltenham for clothes shopping. I think there is still a theatre from there you walk through a nice park "the winter gardens" to the swimming pool. I have happy childhood memories of it as an open air lido. Now it is indoor called "the splash" with a wave machine and slide.

If you like smaller individual shops Ledbury is a few miles the other side of the hill and has an upmarket deli and has a more market town feel to it.. you would be able to drive to it or go by train if you lived in Malvern.

As I don't live in malvern now I don't know all the shops, things on for families so hopefully someone else will fill you in.

Original poster

FreddoBaggyMac · 08/09/2009 12:25

happywomble - pear tree cottage is £269,950, it's on rightmove under Malvern. Very unlikely we could afford it anyway but it's nice to dream

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Blackduck · 08/09/2009 12:26

Waitrose,Somerfield, Fatface and various other shops in Malvern. M&S and Morrisons on a park just outside.
Malvern Splash - swimming pool - fun, but a bit on the small side if you want to swim lengths.
Various food places.
Travel - can't recall - think about 40/50 mins to Brum - check on nationalrail.

happywomble · 08/09/2009 12:27

The train journey from Malvern link to brum is about 1 hour.

Blackduck · 08/09/2009 12:28

Really don't think Pear Tree cottage would be suitable having seen it. We only have one sprog and we were like

Original poster

FreddoBaggyMac · 08/09/2009 12:28

There are no schools in Ledbury for us but I'm sure it's lovely... also DH is not going to appreciate it if I look even further away from birm than Malvern

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Original poster

FreddoBaggyMac · 08/09/2009 12:30

I'd be prepared to cram in my offspring into such a gogeous house Blackduck but you're right it is a dream rather than a real option!

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