As one of the least expensive areas in England to live, rent and buy property, this big, green and openly expansive region is a big draw for house hunters. Find out where many of the best new homes in the West Midlands can be found, courtesy of reviews given by the people who live there.
Where are the West Midlands?
England’s West Midlands are made up of the counties of Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire. There is also a specific ‘West Midlands’ county added to this list. It’s one of the most heavily urbanised counties in the UK, and contains Birmingham, Coventry and Wolverhampton.
Why live in the West Midlands?
There is a lot of variety in the West Midlands, making it easier to find a home that fits your budget and your tastes. If you prefer big city living, the county of West Midlands has you covered. Meanwhile, the surrounding counties offer outstanding natural beauty in the form of the rolling hills of Shropshire and Herefordshire.
The region is also rich in quiet, quaint, and appealing villages and charming market towns. So however busy or relaxed you want your locality to be, the West Midlands will have plenty to offer.
Another factor that makes moving to the West Midlands easier is its relatively low cost of living and lower property prices. After the North East, the West Midlands has the second-lowest cost of living in England. And, as you’ll see from the next section, it’s easier to find good property bargains here than much of the rest of the country.
What are average property prices in West Midlands like?
For November 2021 the West Midlands average property price was around £233,500, according to Zoopla. HM Land Registry has it even lower than this, at £219,793 for May 2021. By their figures, West Midlands property is more than £51,000 cheaper than the England average of £271,434.
As for renting in the West Midlands, people here spend about 27% of their wages on rent on average. Overall, this makes the West Midlands a highly affordable prospect for buying, renting and daily living.
New homes in the West Midlands: Top 10 best developments
*PLEASE NOTE these rankings take into account how recently reviews have been submitted, so may not match the overall star ratings shown. More recent reviews are given a greater weighting to reflect current building performance.
4.89 (265 reviews)
4.89 (265 reviews)
For our number 1 ranked development, we head to the heart of Birmingham. Aston Place, by Dandara Living, has studio to 2-bed apartments on offer, and residents benefit from a gym with fitness classes, resident events, and assigned private parking. The development itself is just five minutes from Birmingham New Street Station and all of the delights of the city’s main business/retail districts.
4.86 (61 reviews)
4.86 (61 reviews)
In second place, The Whitmore Collection is another central Birmingham development offering a range of 1 & 2 bedroom canal-side apartments and townhouses. These feature high-quality appliances and video security intercom, along with speedy 100MB Virgin broadband. Likewise, residents can enjoy facilities including a residents’ courtyard, gym, a clubhouse and private dining room.
4.75 (98 reviews)
4.75 (98 reviews)
Next up, The Lansdowne is in Birmingham’s Edgbaston Village. The building offers 206 apartments, with the option of going furnished or unfurnished. There’s a mix of one, two and three-bedroom apartments and duplexes on offer. Residents have access to a wide range of amenities, including 24-hour concierge and free super-fast Wi-Fi. Similarly, facilities include a residents’ gym, lounge and private cycle storage with a bike workshop. Residents can also utilise the Cultural Mixer space, which has a kitchen and a big-screen entertainment and events space.
4.39 (11 reviews)
4.39 (11 reviews)
In at 4, Encore is a new development by Strata in the village of Brizlincote on the south-east edge of Burton, with travel proximity to Burton and Swadlincote and a 15-mile drive from Derby and Lichfield. Residents claim that the build quality on the homes here is significantly higher than your average development, and that the project management team ensure that every detail of the area is attended to residents’ satisfaction.
4.37 (19 reviews)
4.37 (19 reviews)
It’s back to Birmingham, because at number 5, B5 Central is a development of homes and luxury apartments situated right in the heart of Birmingham city centre. Both the design of the properties and the convenience of the location get solid marks from reviewers, with no category dropping below 4 out of 5 stars when averaged across all reviews.
4.36 (42 reviews)
4.36 (42 reviews)
At number 6, Park Central is a Crest Nicholson development comprising 1,300 apartments dispersed across 61 acres with excellent green spaces for all residents to enjoy. Winner of Property Week’s ‘The Placemaking Award’ in 2016, the development is located just 15-minutes’ walk from Birmingham City Centre and provides a range of high-quality 1-3-bedroom apartments.
4.34 (11 reviews)
4.34 (11 reviews)
Ranked 7th, located just three miles from Rugby town centre, and within easy reach of a choice of Ofsted ‘outstanding’ schools, Houlton has excellent road and rail connections that open up the West Midlands and all of central England. There’s a wide range of property types to choose from here, ranging from 2-5-bedroom configurations.
4.32 (50 reviews)
4.32 (50 reviews)
At number 8, Allegro Living is a development operated by Savills, also located in Birmingham. This development has 603 rental units to offer. Residents here benefit from a residents’ hub with concierge and members style private lounge, as well as a ground-floor café that is popular among reviewers.
4.31 (29 reviews)
4.31 (29 reviews)
We’re back to Houlton for number 9. This increasing popular development also has top-quality built and designed homes available from Davidsons Homes. There’s a widening range of facilities available on site, including a café/restaurant, community hall and residents’ hub.
Read reviews and details of Davidsons Homes at Houlton, CV23
4.27 (36 reviews)
4.27 (36 reviews)
Last on our list but worthy of the top 10, this site offers a superb collection of 2-4-bedroom homes to rent. Located just 0.5 miles away from Wolverhampton City Centre, residents have everything they need right on their doorstep. Also, Sainsburys, Lidl and Iceland are all under a mile away. In addition, there are over 600 shops, bars, cafes and restaurants in the city centre. Mitre Retail Park and Bilston Retail Park are also conveniently close by.
Read reviews and details of Simple Life at James Mill Way, WV2
If you want to explore the West Midlands further, our dedicated area guide is a great starting point. Here, you’ll find more details on the region itself, as well as dozens of developments to explore at your leisure. Given that our top 10 list is a little Birmingham-centric, this will also give you the chance to see more of the rest of the region.
HomeViews provides verified resident reviews of the UK’s housing developments. We’re working with developers, house builders, operators, housing associations and the Government to recognise high performers and help improve standards in the built environment.
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