Buying new build in Hall Green Birmingham

rdx0202

Hi,

I'm planning to buy a house in this area. Though it is a new build, all other (existing) properties close to the area are atleast £100,000 less.

I can't find any reviews on the area and as we are moving from another city, its difficult to make rounds in the area.

Any reviews regarding crime, local area, how safe it is for kids and families and also the fact that money wise why new builds maintain so high gap will be extremely helpful in our consideration of the property.

carefullycautious

Its been 10 years since I worked near to this area so may have changed somewhat. Used to regulary use Fox hollies leisure centre plus Hall green little theatre. It was a good area to get to some amazing curry houses on the stratford road and travelling into Birmingham.

The stratford road is horrendous for traffic not sure if you are going to be working in birmingham or going south. Dont envy you on this road.

From memory it was a better area than most. I would be ringing the local police/ library/Pubs etc and chat to the locals on their take on the area. Local people can give you the nod on whether or not you have chosen a good area.

If I was moving into the area and could not afford Solihull prices then hall green would be on my list.

Im sure someone more knowledgable will be along Good Luck

Greymarl

It really depends a lot where it is. The part that borders with Acocks Green/Yardley I would avoid. Have you looked on google streetmaps?

Have you negotiated the price on the new build?

Hourglass1

Hi

My house hunting has been a rollacoaster, searched alot of areas, not heard good things about south birmingham, but came across this quiet area (Handsworth Wood) not far from the city centre:

rightmovedotcodotuk/property-for-sale/property-29164174.html

Wish me good luck

loveandlight

Try upmystreet.com. That will give you some area info.

Also and more importantly, get an environmental search done on the property as I remember from a few years ago, there's a certain part of Hall Green ( for the life of me I can't remember exactly whereabouts)where the houses sit on toxic soil and they were having huge problems trying to get it cleaned up. As a result the people there weren't able to sell and couldn't let their children play outside. It was on Central News if I remember correctly.

Doozergirl

There is no reason for a new build to be more expensive than a regular house. The developers just think they can get away with it. If it is clearly more expensive than other houses in the area, it will probably lose value after you've bought.

Hall Green seems to be quite nice. We have a friend there she's just bought a new build. It's handy for Solihull. We much prefer to live outside of the city though - it's greener and cleaner, it doesn't take long to commute in from Satellite towns and villages, you have the benefit of smaller, better schools and you can be in the middle of the city on the train in 20 minutes. It's quicker than driving from most parts of town.

Where will you be working? And what's the budget? We'll find you something nice!

Doozergirl

Hourglass1 wrote: »

Hi

My house hunting has been a rollacoaster, searched alot of areas, not heard good things about south birmingham, but came across this quiet area (Handsworth Wood) not far from the city centre:

rightmovedotcodotuk/property-for-sale/property-29164174.html

Wish me good luck

Who told you the South side wasn't any good?! It has more nice areas than North. Solihull and it's surrounding villages, Harborne, Bournville, Edgbaston, Bromsgrove...

Quiet area, right next to Handsworth with Handsworth in the title? Good Luck!

robthesnapper

>> "there's a certain part of Hall Green ( for the life of me I can't remember exactly whereabouts)where the houses sit on toxic soil and they were having huge problems trying to get it cleaned up. As a result the people there weren't able to sell and couldn't let their children play outside."

This was blown up out of all proportion. The affected area was right on the very edge of the Hall Green postcode. One street further on and you're in Solihull. There were problems with the soil, fairly deep down (relatively) and it was cleaned up. In my dad's road, all the houses had their gardens ripped up with membrane barriers put down and new soil and grass laid. Basically the whole road got new gardens, driveways, the whole bit.

As for it being 'highly toxic', well I grew up in that house and garden for the first 20-odd years of my life and was forever digging up the soil as a nipper. Most serious thing I've had wrong with me is a dose of flu. The largest affected road (Bach Mill Drive) was built in the 80's on ground that used to be our playing grounds. Great hills for sledging and lots of overgrown bits to explore. Now it's a boring estate

South Birmingham area is on the whole much better than the north but obviously it's a city of a million people and you'll always find chavs and other undesirables wherever you go. Hall Green is quite a large area so you'll find all kinds there if you look for it. JRR Tolkien lived there as a kid, so it can't be that bad

Areas to watch out for in the south side are Yardley, Acocks Green, Yardley Wood, Warstock. Probably more than your fair share of problem people there, but again, it can vary a lot.

You can go a bit further out...the obvious one is Solihull which borders Hall Green. Different local council and the prices will be higher. Slightly more west and you've got the Northfield and Lickey Hills areas which can vary a lot in the type of properties...from gorgeous to depressing. A little further on and there's Bromsgrove which is in Worcestershire. I think you get more for your money there but you're right on the M42/M5 interchange. We're looking at moving there when we rent a house, hopefully later this year.

carefullycautious

If thinking of moving to Bromsgrove please beware of the Charford estate. YOu really dont want to be anywhere near this.

More info on what city you are leaving and what you are ultimately looking for would be helpful. Im sure between all of us we can point you in the right direction