Birmingham, home to a population of approximately 1,103,418 and named ‘the city that won’t stand still’ by the Telegraph is a location bursting in character and history throughout.
With five universities, the popular Bullring shopping Centre, the lively Brindleyplace canal side development and a host of fantastic museums and tourist attractions, not to mention the brilliant transport links, the second largest UK city is constantly bustling and innovative in its development as a city .
You can find out more about what this fantastic city has to offer by taking a look as Monster’s guide to living in Birmingham.
According to the same Telegraph article, in the past two years there has been a growing number of planning permissions schemes granted in this city than any other location in the article looking at the best 11 places to live to suitably for you and your family.
However, with such a large and vibrant city comes many options of where you might like to relocate to if you’re a first time buyer.
So let’s now take a look at where some of the hotspot areas in Birmingham that you might like to consider looking at if you are looking to purchase your first home. 

Harborne

Young buyers are attracted to the lively area of Harborne located in the south-west of Birmingham with properties averaging at around £287,526 according to Zoopla’s article looking at popular homes for first time buyers.
Located just a stone’s throw from the city centre, this thriving and prosperous area is packed full of restaurants, bars, cafés and shops and is a convenient location for those looking to purchase a property.
Whether you’d enjoy browsing the boutique shops and high-end retailers offered by this popular Victorian suburb, or would like to try out the many sporting facilities including a golf club, cricket, rugby, tennis and a swimming pool, there are lots of fantastic facilities no matter your preferences, more of which you can read about at Visit Birmingham.
The area includes fantastic transport links, with a regular bus service to the village and a nearby train station just a fifteen-minute walk to the edge of the University campus.
Lastly, situated just three miles from the city centre, you can reach the heart of Birmingham within fifteen minutes by car, perfect for commuting to work in the city centre.

Selly Oak

Situated in a convenient and commutable distance of less than fifteen minutes by car, this is another great area to look at if you’re a first time buyer and looking to live relatively close to the heart of Birmingham.
Movebubble considers this area as one of the best to live in within Birmingham and is particularly great if you’re looking for somewhere to start up which is affordable.
With a lively night-time economy as well as a number of shops, eateries and supermarkets Selly Oak has the benefit of having lots to keep you entertained on your doorstep, whilst also having the city centre located at a comfortable distance away.
The area is also home to a number of schools and parks should this be a consideration that you need to make for your first home.
Head to Lonely Planet and discover what else Selly Oak and its surrounding area has to offer.

Solihull

Named as the best place to live in the UK back in 2013 according to an article published on Birmingham Mail, Solihull is situated eight miles to the south east of Birmingham is another of the city’s hotspot locations for first time buyers.
Although house prices can vary rather widely and potentially offer higher prices than you might be looking for as a first time buyer, there are a number of properties that are available between the £100,000 to £200,000 mark, 31.3% offering two bedrooms and 30.6% three bedrooms as calculated by home.co.uk here.
This charming yet bustling town is home to the National Exhibition Centre and Genting Arena, as well as being regarded as a shopper’s paradise offering a number of designer labels.
Furthermore, not only are there a number of popular restaurants and bars, but Solihull’s location means that the rural villages that sit alongside the Stratford-upon-Avon canal make the perfect compromise of living in a bustling town as well as getting to enjoy the beautiful outdoors.
You can find out more about what Solihull has to offer by heading to Visit Birmingham.

Halesowen

The town of Halesowen located roughly seven miles outside of Birmingham city centre has the benefit of offering a number of affordable properties ideal for first time buyers.
From just under the £100,000 mark to £200,000, the area offers slightly larger properties at a reasonable price meaning that it’s a great location to consider in order to get more for your money as can be observed on Rightmove.
Although Halesoen is mainly regarded as an urban/suburban location, the borders of the town are located on green belt land meaning that there is fantastic access to countryside locations, for example Clent Hills creates the perfect weekend break to escape the hustle and bustle of Birmingham.
Hosting a number of places to grab a bite to eat which you can take a look at by heading to tripadvisor, there are also many opportunities to try your hand at the various activities suitable for all ages located near the town. Take a look at the BBC’s activity finder page here to find out more.
Being such a largely populated city, it may feel overwhelming to know where to start looking for your first property in Birmingham.
Hopefully though you will have seen that there are a number of fantastic locations offering quick transport links to the city centre and plenty of opportunities to enjoy what the area has to offer, whether this be taking a trip to the countryside for a leisurely stroll or a day’s shopping in the heart of the city centre.
If want to find out more about purchasing a property in the City, why not speak with one of our mortgage brokers in Birmingham?