Birmingham

Birmingham is located in the West Midlands in the heart of England. Often described as England’s second city it is a hub of business, tourism and importantly – is home to Cadburys dairy chocolate. Our Birmingham Area Guide looks at the residential regions of the city centre. These areas can be broken down into several quarters and are currently undergoing some exciting regeneration. As well as this, it explores the best places to live in Birmingham and reviews from residents who own or rent in Birmingham.

Birmingham residents, or Brummies, provide a welcoming home to new visitors and old. Birmingham’s history is built on its industrial power and majestic waterways, music, shopping and culture.

4.82
Average Location Score

Excellent

85%

Very Good

12%

Average

3%

Disappointing

0%

Very Poor

0%

Best places to live in Birmingham

HomeViews Top Rated Development ranking takes into account the Star Rating and HomeViews Transparency Rating of every development in the area

New flats behind a train line

Getting Around Birmingham

Birmingham city is very much at the heart of the UK. It thrives off links to all the major motorways with links to the M5, M6, M40 and M42 via the Spaghetti Junction. As a transport hub with national bus and train links and a smart new tram system, Birmingham is easily connected to the rest of the UK. Also, Birmingham’s Finance district highest number of insurance and finance businesses outside of London. With a number of luxury offices with restaurants, cafés or commercial outlets there are also a growing number of residential apartments.

Old canal building in front of Office blocks in Birmingham, West Midlands

The Jewellery Quarter

The Jewellery Quarter dates back over 250 years and is home to more than 500 jewellery retailers making it one of the largest concentrations of jewellery businesses in Europe. The JQ, as it’s known locally, is home to bars, independent restaurants and creative businesses. The Jewellery Quarter home to Islington Gates and Regency Place is often described as the perfect place to work, rest and play.

 

“Close to the city centre and canal side. Love the view.” Anon, Verified Resident of Islington Gates

East Side

Birmingham’s East Side is undergoing some of the most active redevelopment. A number of parks, office buildings and luxury apartments are being built whilst incorporating some of its old charm. As well as this, the Hs2 link offering fast speed connections to London will be arriving into Curzon Street Station. Not far from the Bullring shopping centre is Digbeth, also known as the Irish Quarter and Birmingham’s creative district. With galleries, music venues, and independent shops, this area of Birmingham is home to the famous Custard Factory.

Birmingham's new library

China Town

China Town, more formally known as Southside, perfectly sums up much of Birmingham multi-cultural charm. With clubs, shops, residential apartments like Madison House and The Forum as well as a multitude of restaurant. Also, this area incorporates The gay village, Chinese quarter and Hippodrome theatre.

 

“I think the area is quite fine. As it is close to the city centre, I find it very accessible and convenient to get around. There are also lots of shops and restaurants nearby.” James, Verified Resident of The Forum

The City Centre

If you are, however, looking for canal side living and a huge variety of leisure facilities then the west side of the Birmingham City Centre, home to Liberty Place, is the area for you. The Brindley Place area contains international entertainment centres including: The International Convention Centre, Symphony Hall and Sealife Centre. The Gun Quarter which previously supported the productions of guns now has a number of unconverted buildings ripe for conversion. As such this is an area undergoing a lot of change and is forecasted to be one of the best areas to rent in Birmingham.

 

“Good area, classed as city centre but outside city centre. Close to nice bars and restaurants. Don’t need to use buses or trains you can easily everywhere.” Anon, Verified Resident of Liberty Place

 

You can find out more about living in Birmingham by reading reviews from residents. Click on the developments below to find out more about residents’ experiences and discover great places to rent in Birmingham. Although, if there’s a Birmingham property that you can’t see on HomeViews,  you can add a new listing and leave your review here.

Reviews in Birmingham

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The best place to live in Birmingham

Verified Resident
Verified Resident
Review Date Sep 2024

It’s a great place to live, the staff are always friendly and it’s a great place to have pets as there are outdoor spaces which they can explore.

Please review your development:

The comfort of living is really nice, the apartment space is quite relaxing and enjoyable to live in, the design of the building is good as there are two different exits which make it easy to get to my apartment, the bike storage is an excellent addition to the facilities.

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

It’s pet friendly which is a huge factor as we own a dog.

How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:

We haven’t currently had any issues with our living space.

5
Facilities
5
Design
5
Location
5
Value
5
Management
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Great building and great management

Verified Resident
Verified Resident
Review Date Sep 2024

Great location for commuters especially those that need to travel out of Birmingham a lot. Tram and central train stations down the road. You also have the Bullring just 10 / 15 mins walk away which is great too.

Wide range of shops and places to eat too.

The area has got a reputation for being a bit rowdy at times especially a couple roads down. But this has gotten better as development have been made

Please review your development:

The building is amazing. Has a wide range of amenities for you to use from meeting rooms to work from home space and 3 terraces.
Management are always happy to help and supported me in getting setup and have been on hand throughout.
Security are also very helpful on the weekends and evenings.

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

I wish I had sorted parking before moving in as it would have allowed me to have a space from the start

How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:

Responded very quickly to all maintenance concerns

5
Facilities
5
Design
4
Location
5
Value
5
Management
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Manager Response

Thankyou for your amazing review Sultan! I’m delighted to hear that you’re settling into your new home within the Hairpin House Neighbourhood. If you ever need anything or have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to myself and the team. We’re here to help and ensure you continue to have a great living experience!

The apartments are well built and have been nicely designed

Verified Resident
Verified Resident
Review Date Sep 2024

The area is safe and has good parking facility. The area is in good location with all amenities close by Tesco, Lidl, Doctor surgery and the A and E. it is close to all local city centre locations.

Please review your development:

The apartments are well built and have been nicely designed. Modern and chic and has all the facilities you need. With a utility and storage space. Good thought out space facility with good size bathroom and kitchen spaces. The ventilation of the apartment is good with windows and cooker hood ventilation.

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

Parking for visitors has to be logged and paid. The inconvenience caused by this raises a £100 fine.

How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:

There has been no problems since we have lived here.

5
Facilities
5
Design
5
Location
5
Value
5
Management
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Top-Notch Development and Support

Verified Resident
Verified Resident
Review Date Sep 2024

I’ve had a great experience so far! The property is modern and well-maintained, and the team has been fantastic. Megan’s support has been exceptional – always responsive and helpful. I’d definitely recommend Hairpin House to others. 5 stars!

Please review your development:

I’ve been thoroughly impressed with the quality of the building and the attention to detail. The finish is modern and sleek, and the amenities are fantastic. The team’s commitment to customer satisfaction is evident in every aspect, from the initial viewing to the after-sales support. They’ve created a wonderful community here, and I feel lucky to be a part of it. Well done! 5 stars!

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

I wish I knew the apartment doesn’t have a gym and that they are no microwaves in the room.

How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:

I haven’t had any issue to complain about since I moved in.

5
Facilities
5
Design
5
Location
5
Value
5
Management
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Manager Response

Hey Sarah, thank you so much for your wonderful review! 🌟 Myself and the team are thrilled to hear that you’re enjoying your new apartment and the Hairpin House neighbourhood, we’re glad it feels like the perfect fit for you. If there’s ever anything you need to make your experience even better, feel free to reach out.

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