Where to buy a house near Birmingham?

[FreddoBaggyMac]

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.

brettgirl2, my younger son is the same age and was born at the end of April. I have another son aged 3. I shall be wondering about everyone I meet now!

We moved to Kidderminster from London 7 years ago and are very happy here. We also have 4 young children. Property is very reasonably priced and we bought a 5 bed detached opposite an excellent school a year ago for £249,000. Kiddy is a large town with lots of shops and businesses, but is surrounded by beautiful countryside and lovely villages. There's tons to do for kids; ball pools, leisure centres, play groups, children's centres, loads of parks, forests and country walks. Its just 40 mins into central b'ham on the train, about 30 mins driving depending on traffic. Our kids went to St Ambrose Catholic School just on the B'ham Road which is lovely and they go on to an excellent Catholic High in Hagley. There's a big Catholic community and busy church if you want to get involved there. Good luck!!

I saw the cardiacs in kidderminster

ace impression of kidderminster as a result. Only heard of kidderminster carpets on the radio before that

There's loads of places round brum really that would be lovely to live. Yr spoilt for choice really

we went to that cov free festival t'other month and was really impressed by some of the nice places we drove through

I am struggling to think of a RC primary in Edgbaston.... unless you mean O, but hardly outstanding, and Ladywood really. Or Priory of course...

St Mary's in Harborne is outstanding. St Joseph's in Cotteridge/Bournville is good. (all 2s)

For Sutton, you'd be looking at St Nicholas as well as Holy Cross.

I find Sutton Coldfield and Solihull very parochial tbh.

Am now slightly worried that BIL bought his house from Noah... would have been around the same time I think...

I think train is definitely best bet for commuting- car drive (or bus) in is horrendous, plus little parking to be had around Brindley Place.

The real issue would be secondary schools though, and with 4 children, I am assuming that at least 1 of them will reach secondary age whilst you're in Birmingham?

the sutton coldfield observer usually has at least 1 anti brum letter a week. Regular laments of the day the royal town succumbed to vampiric birmingham. Tis quite hilarious (the precious parochialness that is)

bishop walsh would prob be yr secondary school of choice if wooed to sutton

Ooh more violent protests in brum tonight I hear. Hope its not putting you off

That house in Leamington - the estate agent is Newman. I have no idea what they are like for buying property, but we had an absolute nightmare renting through them so I would probably avoid at all costs. I don't know if buying is different though - presumably once it's all done you never have anything to do with them again? They were very good at getting our tenancy sorted in the beginning, we moved in within about 24 hours of viewing the flat, but were just useless with maintenence etc. Managed to get hold of the actual landlord in the end and he was fed up with them too.

Also, it's not actually in Leamington but a small village outside Leamington called Harbury, which is nice but quite rural so probably not what you are looking for, there are no catholic schools within walking distance, only one bus service to the village and no train station (bus goes into Leamington or Rugby and is about once an hour)

Close to town centre my arse!!

janeite - tell Turners you are a veggie and they will cook for you!

I would love to go back and live in Leamington. I was brought up in Kenilworth, which is rather quiet although pretty.

Leamington has good facilities for children, fab shops, really nice 'feel' to the place - and a large railway station!

Places like leamington, Warwick and Stratford are all lovely BUT there will be quite a commute into Birmingham. They are not that close.
Just a thought but if you are looking at Harborne and can't find anything in your price range there is a place about 1/2 m outside called Bearwood which may be worth a look. Most of the area I would not touch but there are 2 streets which are lovely and overlook woodland (Warley Woods). Barclay Road has fairly large Victorian terraces and semi's and Lightwoods Hill some larger detached properties. There is also a Catholic School which I think got an outstanding in last Ofsted - St Gregory's. Harborne is literally a 5 minute (max) drive away (I know I used to do it) so it might offer another option....Also VERY easy commute into Birmingham

Kings norton has some nice roads - northfield road, roads around The Green and the park. And you get way more house for your money than in Harborne.

St J's is a lovely little school, and for secondary you have STAS on your doorstep.

llereggub so will I - I've racked my brains but currently can't think of anyone with an April boy and a 3 year old

The house is just off cubbington road, which is near to town centre

www.primelocation.com/uk-property-for-sale/localInfo/id/NPSEA643167/

Isn't moor street not being as 'popular' a good rather than bad thing? New street station is awful. They also go to snow hill which gives some choice. The service to Stratford is bad though - it stops at every lamp post including places which seemingly don't even have any houses.

Thanks for all these great posts - I really appreciate everyone's help.

Taokiddy Kidderminster sounds fabulous. Love the idea of a good catholic church/ school community as that's what we have here and am going to miss it (sob!) Will def look into Kidderminster. DH may want to be closer to Birmingham though (although less so if we find out he only has to go in for three days - which may be the case.

Have not thought much about secondary schools as my oldest DC is only 5, but I probably should really as we do plan to stay wherever we move to as long as poss - I hate moving!

So top of my list at the moment are:

• Norton, Stourbridge (Like the look of this even though it is over budget a bit and more modern than we'd planned!
• Harborne/ Bournville (DH probably favours these but looking at the houses for sale there I think it might be a bit too urban for me)
• possibly Kidderminster when we've looked into it further (any info on nice areas would be welcome!)

Still have Sutton and Lichfield in reserve!

It depends on which schools have places and how often DH will be in the office... hopefully we'll find out these things over the next week or so.

Love the look of this in Kidderminster - looks quite close to station and school too, this is the kind of house we're after ideally (only a bit less expensive!!)

By the way, do I need to worry about flooding in any of these areas??

this looks good too - apart from the back garden!

Nope, not in Norton or Kiddy.

The Severn floods but thats Worcester/Bewdley way so further out than you are looking.

Am really liking the look of Kidderminster...

Thanks Queen - one less theing to worry about!