Birmingham Local Property Guide
Welcome to Birmingham
Birmingham, known as the ‘city of a thousand trades’ and ‘the engine room of the UK’, remains a multi-faceted modern metropolis, where Industrial Revolution chimney stacks sit next to high-rise, futuristic architecture.
Birmingham, or ‘Brum’ as it’s known to the locals, is the UK’s ‘Second City’, which is well-connected, features a thriving education system, plenty of entertainment options and is home to diverse people and networks.
But there’s more. It served as the inspiration for JRR Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, it’s the birthplace of Black Sabbath, Duran Duran, Thomas the Tank Engine, Peaky Blinders and Jack Reacher’s creator, Lee Child. It was also the host of the 2022 Commonwealth Games. And did you also know that the city has more canals than Venice and is home to the largest library in Europe? There’s no doubt that Birmingham offers a wide variety for locals and tourists alike.
If you’re considering moving into the area and scouting out houses for sale in Birmingham, take a peek at what’s on offer and how to meet local estate agents in Birmingham. There’s so much to explore that moving to Birmingham is always a good idea.
Find your local estate agent in Birmingham
If you’re thinking of selling your home in Birmingham and you want to take the next step, finding the right estate agent can help you in your home-buying and selling journey. To talk to a local expert focused on your needs, start your property search here. It’s as easy as popping in your postcode to view the sales or lettings agents near you.
Give it a try. For those in the heart of the city centre under the postcode B1 1AY, take a look at all the available agents ready to help you here.
Living in Birmingham at a glance
While, of course, it depends on the area you choose to live in, Birmingham makes a great home for students, professionals, couples and families. While city centre living puts you at the heart of the action, with plenty going on and things to do, the suburbs offer a gentler, slower pace of life, giving families more space to enjoy their homes and gardens. In addition to being centrally located so you can travel just about anywhere in the country with ease, it makes a great landing place for those determining their next step. Birmingham makes a great creative background, whatever your interests.
If you’re interested in looking at your next Birmingham house for sale, keep reading to discover the top areas to look in.
Getting around Birmingham
Located in the West Midlands, Birmingham is the largest city in the region and the second largest city behind London. It’s 100 miles northwest of London. Because of its central location within the UK, Birmingham is extremely well-connected and offers public transportation networks with 3 major train stations, a National Express coach station, Birmingham International Airport, and extensive bus and tram networks. In short, it’s easy to get around, whether it be locally or beyond.
By train
Birmingham’s city centre has 3 major train stations including: Birmingham New Street, Snow Hill and Moor Street. From Birmingham New Street, it takes around 1.5 hours to get into London Euston via Avanti West Coast trains, or just over 2.5 hours via car (depending on traffic).
HS2 Birmingham
High Speed 2 (HS2), a new train line designed to connect London, Birmingham, Leeds, and Manchester, is one of the most significant regeneration projects in Birmingham. [AE4] Locals will soon be able to enjoy getting to London in just 49 minutes, making Birmingham a possible option for the London workforce looking for more affordable living.
By car
Birmingham is also perfectly positioned in the heart of the UK’s motorway network with fast and accessible links to the M5, M6, M40 and M42 motorways, so it’s easy to move around the country. Within a 4-hour car journey, you can reach a wide area of the UK, which shows that the city’s connectivity is best placed for enjoying day trips, wherever you fancy.
By bike
Birmingham features an abundance of cycle paths, greenways and canal networks. It offers miles of traffic-free cycling routes and cycle lanes so fans of pedalling can easily make their way around.
By bus
With an extensive bus network which connects its centre to nearby suburbs and extends out to the wider West Midlands area, there are plenty of options to get around. With bus passes and deals to be had, taking the bus is an affordable option to move around, whether you’re travelling from Dudley, Wolverhampton, Telford or beyond.
Distances and journey times are approximate and were sourced via Google Maps.
Cost of living in Birmingham
The UK's 'Second City' is a relatively affordable place to live, especially considering the economic opportunities in and around the city. Despite Birmingham's recent growth, it remains much more affordable than living in London. In Birmingham, your money tends to go further, whether it be for food, property or entertainment.
Property for sale in Birmingham
The city centre area, inside the A4540 Middleway, is a great area to live for the modern student or professional. The surrounding regions, such as the up-and-coming Digbeth (Birmingham’s creative corner), as well as the historic Jewellery Quarter, and the popular suburbs of Harborne and Moseley, are also highly rated as good areas to live for those seeking more space.
The price of Birmingham properties for sale depends on their type and condition. As you’d expect, detached properties tend to sell at a higher price point than flats, with detached houses selling for an average of £450,688, while flats and apartments sell for around £156,500. The average costs by property type in Birmingham (at the time of writing, November 2023):
Detached house: £450,688
Semi-detached: £266,036
Terraced: £210,702
Flat: £156,324
The houses for sale in Birmingham vary widely, as you can get a new build house in Birmingham or around the outskirts, character properties, terraced homes, smart flats or convenient bungalows. The choice is yours.
Neighbourhoods in Birmingham
City centre
Average house price: £280,000
For young professionals, the city centre has long been known as one of the best places to live in Birmingham. Not only is it well-connected to major UK destinations, but it hosts a thriving business district with exceptional career opportunities. HSBC, BT and Goldman Sachs are just a few that have chosen Birmingham for their company headquarters.
The city centre also features the world’s largest Primark store, Selfridges and the Bullring shopping centre. While high-spec Birmingham flats for sale can start off a bit pricey, given that it is in the heart of Birmingham, it remains one of the more desirable places to live.
Search Birmingham houses for sale.
Digbeth
Average house price: £195,800
Hip, fun and super cool. And we’re not just saying that! Dubbed ‘Britain’s coolest neighbourhood’ by The Sunday Times, Digbeth is fast becoming one of the more enviable places to live in Birmingham. It’s unique, funky and home to indoor entertainment, independent shops, and a plethora of groovy bars, all wrapped in colourful street art. The Custard Factory is the beating heart of the culture and is complemented by the modern flats built in old factories throughout the surrounding area. It oozes cool on every street, with more galleries, eateries, live music and artsy opportunities than one person needs.
It's also just a stone’s throw away from the City Centre, making it the ideal location for students and young professionals alike.
See properties for sale in Digbeth, Birmingham.
Jewellery Quarter
Average house price: £232,034
With over 500 jewellery shops throughout the area and responsible for roughly 40% of the UK’s jewellery production, the Jewellery Quarter certainly lives up to its name. It has a rich heritage and is home to over 200 listed buildings, attracting independent businesses into Birmingham. It’s a hip and trendy place to live with over 80 restaurants, bars and cafes, coupled with makers and creative independents.
Being a historic, industrial part of the city, many of the Birmingham flats for sale maintain their stunning exposed brick features, high ceilings and period features, all while being well-equipped for modern living. The Jewellery Quarter (or ‘JQ’, as it’s known locally) is full of history with a community vibe, making it a fun location to live.
Find your gem of a property for sale in the Jewellery Quarter Birmingham.
Harborne
Average house price: £304,468
Without a doubt, Harborne is ideal for food lovers. With the vast array of neighbourhood restaurants, such as the Michelin-rated Harborne Kitchen, stand-out pub The Plough or the multi-award-winning Thai restaurant Sabai Sabai, there is so much choice on offer for every food preference and craving.
But between the cosy atmosphere and new leisure hotspots, Harborne is an affluent community with a village feel. It’s centred around its core high street, complete with an M&S, Waitrose and Sainsbury’s, as well as independent shops and eateries. The high street also offers a monthly farmer’s market, which provides residents with local produce at a great price that supports the community.
Harborne makes a great place for families to settle, with nearby public and private schools in Edgbaston, as well as its own schools.
Search properties for sale in Harborne, Birmingham.
Solihull
Average house price: £486,445
Previously awarded ‘one of the best places to live and work in England’, it’s easy to see the appeal of Solihull: in addition to the energetic entertainment of theatres, cinemas and restaurants, there are excellent primary and secondary schools, making it a great neighbourhood for families. Here, you’re more likely to find 3-bedroom houses for sale in Birmingham rather than flats, though there is something for everyone.
For professionals, it has quick links into the city centre, though there are leading business parks within Solihull. Gymshark’s headquarters are located in Blythe Valley Park in Shirley, attracting vibrant talent into the area. Our own Head Office is in Shirley too!
Solihull is also within easy reach of Resorts World, which is one of Birmingham’s biggest entertainment complexes, complete with swanky bars, fine restaurants and designer retail outlets.
Find houses for sale in Solihull.
Edgbaston
Average property price: £317,934
Edgbaston is home to some of the most expensive roads in the West Midlands, with some homes soaring above the £1 million mark. The region is filled with characterful buildings and has always been one of Birmingham's more affluent suburbs. There's no shortage of things to do either: enjoy one of England's test matches at Edgbaston Cricket Ground, visit the awe-inspiring flora and fauna at the Botanical Gardens or play 18 holes at Edgbaston Golf Club.
It's also home to prestigious schools and is near the University of Birmingham and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Priory Hospital and Edgbaston Hospital, making it an ideal location for professionals who want an easy commute to work.
Take a peek at properties for sale in Edgbaston, Birmingham.
Sutton Coldfield
Average property price: £335,000
Officially The Royal Town of Sutton Coldfield, it's just outside the city centre (around a 9-mile drive taking under half an hour via car (with reasonable traffic), which offers a great balance of respite from city to suburban.
Sutton Coldfield lays claim to the city's most expensive property, the mansion in Little Aston Park, which sold for a cool £7.5 million. Fortunately, not all the properties in Sutton Coldfield are in the eye-watering million range, with plenty of affordable homes for professionals and families. The beautiful park, 2,400-acre nature reserve, lake and bike paths help to draw people out of Birmingham's concrete jungle to detox in lush greenery.
Find your next house for sale in Sutton Coldfield.
Moseley
Average property price: £306,354
With the stunning greenery of Moseley Bog (it’s better than the name suggests!) and the expansive Cannon Hill Park, Moseley offers some great houses for sale in Birmingham if you’re searching to live amongst nature. It also served as inspiration for places in Lord of the Rings, if you fancy living among the literary inspiration.
Along with the greenery, there are plenty of restaurants, a farmer’s market, and even a Moseley Folk Festival to celebrate Birmingham’s musical talent. It even beat out some London suburbs in 2015 when it won the title of the ‘best area to live’ in 2015.
Start your search for properties for sale in Moseley, Birmingham.
Quick facts
Birmingham is the UK’s 4th greenest city (over 8,000 acres of green space and 591 parks)
Time to London: Under 2 hours by train
HS2 will reduce the time from Birmingham to London to just 49 minutes
The Bullring has been home to indoor and outdoor markets since the 12th century
Population: 1,144,900
Average temperature in winter: 3C
Average temperature in summer: 17C
Average house price: £273,020
Average monthly rent: £1,622
Households: 423,500
Schools: 340 primary schools, 169 secondary
Helpful links:
All the city services and information, including schools, parking and healthcare: Birmingham City Council
Public transport in Birmingham and the West Midlands: Transport for West Midlands
Search for houses in Birmingham for sale
Have a property to sell? Let’s get you sold. Connect with your local estate agent
Find your next house for sale in Birmingham
Looking to move to Birmingham? Perhaps you want to walk in the footsteps of JRR Tolkien or enjoy the trendy scenery of Digbeth, or perhaps you’re looking for some of the best schools for your growing family.
Whatever the reason, there are plenty of Birmingham houses for sale that can suit your needs and budget. Get started by starting your home search and connecting with your estate agent in Birmingham.
See other Purplebricks local property guides:
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