Birmingham is often sadly overlooked by those seeking a solid and safe property
investment. Unfortunately for Birmingham, it is often seen as an area that
is suffering from crime and even gangland warfare. This is far from accurate
and those who scratch the surface will find that Birmingham has a huge amount
to offer, particularly for property investors.

Birmingham has the advantage of being the second largest city (including metropolitan
area) outside of London, resulting in an impressive amount of commerce and
economic growth. Although Birmingham suffered considerable decline, in the
1980s, as manufacturing began to disappear across the city, it has recently
seen regeneration, thanks to the booming service sector and its convenient
geographical location.

There are also three thriving universities in the city, one to the west (Birmingham
University) and the others being more central, offering a great deal of opportunity
for buy to let investors looking at the student market. Those considering this
approach should certainly look out for the large Victorian terraced properties
that dominate the areas of Edgbaston, Aston and Perry Bar, all of which are
well known student areas.

Importantly, the overall population of the region is thought to be in excess
of 3,000,000 and if one takes into account the areas within a two hour drive
of Birmingham, it is possible to see just why this region is booming 

House prices in Birmingham remain reasonably affordable, ranging from around £80,000
to £100,000 for a four bedroom house, in many areas. Although prices
are growing at an above average rate in Birmingham, they still have a long
way to go before they hit the national average, meaning that long-term capital
gains are almost a certainty.

Furthermore, the rental yields in this area are good, with more and more people
moving to the region to take part in the growing commercial economy.

Stand back, Birmingham is about to bloom!

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