Nice parts of Birmingham to live in
Discussion
Hi everyone,
Would appreciate some advice as I've never been to Birmingham in my life but will be spending six months there working come September. Will be working right in the city centre, and will be looking for somewhere to live. Anyone got any recommendations or 'avoid this place' type suggestions? Will probably be looking for a flatshare with one or two other graduates who have also been required to work up here for the few months. Budget will probably be up to about £600pcm but obviously if I could get somewhere decent for less than that would be great. After being a student in London for the last 3 years I have no idea of rental values in somewhere like Birmingham! Will obviously be pounding Rightmove in the next weeks trying to get a handle on it anyway!
Cheers!
Would appreciate some advice as I've never been to Birmingham in my life but will be spending six months there working come September. Will be working right in the city centre, and will be looking for somewhere to live. Anyone got any recommendations or 'avoid this place' type suggestions? Will probably be looking for a flatshare with one or two other graduates who have also been required to work up here for the few months. Budget will probably be up to about £600pcm but obviously if I could get somewhere decent for less than that would be great. After being a student in London for the last 3 years I have no idea of rental values in somewhere like Birmingham! Will obviously be pounding Rightmove in the next weeks trying to get a handle on it anyway!
Cheers!
it depends how far you would want to live out of the city centre.
public transport is nothing compared to london so being in the middle might be better. There are a lot of student digs just off the 5 ways.
I would see if you could get a flat share somewhere on the canal just off broadstreet maybe.
public transport is nothing compared to london so being in the middle might be better. There are a lot of student digs just off the 5 ways.
I would see if you could get a flat share somewhere on the canal just off broadstreet maybe.
If you can find a house share, Harbourne, Edgbaston, Bournville and Mosley are nice places. My brother spent 2 years house sharing in Harbourne and loved it. Mosley has some good food, drink and music near by. Bournville is the old Cadbury village and has no pubs due to it staying true to its Quaker roots.
Assuming you want to live near the centre then there is lots of scope of places to live in starting just north of the centre and working southwest we have...
Jewellery Quarter search http://www.primelocation.com/uk-property-to-rent/s...
Broad Street and the canals which is the top pub, nightlife area http://www.primelocation.com/uk-property-to-rent/s...
South Ladywood http://www.primelocation.com/uk-property-to-rent/s...
Can be slightly iffy but useful placing, cheap and better than north Ladywood
Harbourne (regular buses to city centre) http://www.primelocation.com/uk-property-to-rent/s...
Can be pricey but you don't fear for the life of a decently priced car here
Bearwood (regular buses to city centre) http://www.primelocation.com/uk-property-to-rent/s...
Avoid the bulk of north and east Birmingham until you are far enough out to hit places like Sutton Coldfield
Buses on main roads are regular and cheap (£1.90 max fare), trains aren't bad with about 8 lines feeding the city centre from all directions.
Jewellery Quarter search http://www.primelocation.com/uk-property-to-rent/s...
Broad Street and the canals which is the top pub, nightlife area http://www.primelocation.com/uk-property-to-rent/s...
South Ladywood http://www.primelocation.com/uk-property-to-rent/s...
Can be slightly iffy but useful placing, cheap and better than north Ladywood
Harbourne (regular buses to city centre) http://www.primelocation.com/uk-property-to-rent/s...
Can be pricey but you don't fear for the life of a decently priced car here
Bearwood (regular buses to city centre) http://www.primelocation.com/uk-property-to-rent/s...
Avoid the bulk of north and east Birmingham until you are far enough out to hit places like Sutton Coldfield
Buses on main roads are regular and cheap (£1.90 max fare), trains aren't bad with about 8 lines feeding the city centre from all directions.
W111AAM said:
Slightly further afield but Stourbridge/Oldswinford is a great place to be. Train into the middle of town is 25mins. Getting a bus from Harborne can take 20mins plus and you're only 3 miles away!
In the same vein, you might look at Solihull if you're a fan of the 'burbs. If you want a London "comparison" think of it like one of the outlying towns (Kingston, Bromley, etc.)As others have said, it really depends on what you want. If you are young, enjoy the nightlife and want to be city centre based, then there are more new build rental apartments available then you can shake a stick at. It's also easy to get out to the sticks at the weekend.
If you want something more suburban and still Birmingham, then Harbourne is a good bet.
Take a drive up and around. The dodgy areas are easy to spot when you drive around them.
pp
If you want something more suburban and still Birmingham, then Harbourne is a good bet.
Take a drive up and around. The dodgy areas are easy to spot when you drive around them.
pp
Check out the Cross City Line stations. Regular service into New Street
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross-City_Line
Gives you more scope if you don't want a city life but need access to the centre.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross-City_Line
Gives you more scope if you don't want a city life but need access to the centre.
Be aware that anywhere IN Birmingham that is nice will be less than a mile from a $hithole.
Hence Moseley and Edgbaston have very high burglary rates.
The question is do you want city centre life (and willing to risk the crime) or life in the nearby towns a quick hop on the train away.
I live in Solihull - 10 mins away by train but I'm not 25 - if I was I'd probably try to get a city centre flat.
Hence Moseley and Edgbaston have very high burglary rates.
The question is do you want city centre life (and willing to risk the crime) or life in the nearby towns a quick hop on the train away.
I live in Solihull - 10 mins away by train but I'm not 25 - if I was I'd probably try to get a city centre flat.
Hi Everyone,
Thanks for all the replies. Going up on Tuesday to take a look at some 2 bed flats on or around Water St for flatsharing with a future colleague- I'll be working on Colmore Row. I'm only 21 and want to be in the centre of the city and near the various bars etc so it seems like the best compromise!
Thanks for all the replies. Going up on Tuesday to take a look at some 2 bed flats on or around Water St for flatsharing with a future colleague- I'll be working on Colmore Row. I'm only 21 and want to be in the centre of the city and near the various bars etc so it seems like the best compromise!
I am orginally from wythall but have lived in the city centre for the past 4 year in various apartments across the city centre.
The Rotunda - Currently live there, Smack bang in the city centre, right next to the shopping centre, Birmingham New Street, and Birmingham Moor Street stations, 10 mins walk to broad street for bars, 5 mins walk to mailbox for bars, and 5 mins walk to the arcadian for bars.
Orion/Sirus Apartments, - on the other side of New street station, very close to shops, mailbox arcadian and broad street and the train station.
Centenary Plaza - Next to the mailbox. 5 mins walk to New Street station, broad street and arcadian, even less to get to the mailbox :P
Island / Southside Apartments - Located next to the arcadian centre, chinatown and the gay bars, 15 min walk to broad street, 5min walk to train station, couple steps to the arcadian, 5 mins to mailbox.
All come with private underground parking apart from the rotunda which has spaces available in the bullring shopping centre car park, but only certain apartments have them.
Hope this helps not lived in the jewellery quarter so could not comment on there.
The Rotunda - Currently live there, Smack bang in the city centre, right next to the shopping centre, Birmingham New Street, and Birmingham Moor Street stations, 10 mins walk to broad street for bars, 5 mins walk to mailbox for bars, and 5 mins walk to the arcadian for bars.
Orion/Sirus Apartments, - on the other side of New street station, very close to shops, mailbox arcadian and broad street and the train station.
Centenary Plaza - Next to the mailbox. 5 mins walk to New Street station, broad street and arcadian, even less to get to the mailbox :P
Island / Southside Apartments - Located next to the arcadian centre, chinatown and the gay bars, 15 min walk to broad street, 5min walk to train station, couple steps to the arcadian, 5 mins to mailbox.
All come with private underground parking apart from the rotunda which has spaces available in the bullring shopping centre car park, but only certain apartments have them.
Hope this helps not lived in the jewellery quarter so could not comment on there.
Hi
I currently live in Edgbaston and have done so for many years now. I also work as an estate agent for high value properties. I can tell you that crime rates are medium regardless where you go, unless of course you move out of town towards solihull or sutton. If you want to live close to where you are working then I suggest living in harborne or edgbaston as this is only a few minutes drive or bus, and colmore row is not far providing you get off aat end of broad street and walk. Otherwise appartments are the way forward. Jewelry qtr is good but offers little in terms of bars etc, but appartments are well priced but parking is an issue. Mailbox has parking but appartments are of medium price with some aimed towards high end. In mailbox you can get a 1 bed with seperate rooms and gym access for 600 monthly. The best value I have found is in queens college chambers which offers large appartments with parking for as little as 550.
I currently live in Edgbaston and have done so for many years now. I also work as an estate agent for high value properties. I can tell you that crime rates are medium regardless where you go, unless of course you move out of town towards solihull or sutton. If you want to live close to where you are working then I suggest living in harborne or edgbaston as this is only a few minutes drive or bus, and colmore row is not far providing you get off aat end of broad street and walk. Otherwise appartments are the way forward. Jewelry qtr is good but offers little in terms of bars etc, but appartments are well priced but parking is an issue. Mailbox has parking but appartments are of medium price with some aimed towards high end. In mailbox you can get a 1 bed with seperate rooms and gym access for 600 monthly. The best value I have found is in queens college chambers which offers large appartments with parking for as little as 550.
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