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Published: 16 July 2025

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Forecast: What to Expect in the Second Half of 2025

Analysts predict price growth of perhaps 3.5% across the West Midlands this year, with areas like Sutton Coldfield and its suburbs, together with Great Barr expected to outperform the regional average due to:

• Strong employment and commuter access into Birmingham and beyond
• Solid school networks, which drive family interest year-round
• Limited new-build stock, which continues to support second-hand market strength

The local market remains price sensitive, so accuracy and professional marketing remain vital. However, the fundamentals are clear: the market has turned a corner.

Opportunities & Recommendations

Buyers

Now may be an opportune time to secure a mortgage and act quickly before competition intensifies. Areas like Erdington, Wylde Green and Great Barr offer excellent value compared to their more premium counterparts, without sacrificing amenities.

Sellers

With buyer demand returning and a shortage of high-quality listings, this is a prime window to sell, particularly for well-maintained family homes. Professional photography, clear floorplans, and realistic pricing are crucial.

Investors

With rental yields climbing and voids decreasing, now is a strategic time to expand rental portfolios in the suburbs. Focus on family-friendly properties and those near transport links like the cross city rail line, motorways and good road links

Strength in Familiar Foundations

The property market across Sutton Coldfield, Great Barr, Walmley and Four Oaks is gaining traction, momentum, and confidence. As mortgage rates have stabilised and buyer enthusiasm grows, these north Birmingham communities are well-placed to benefit from sustained recovery through the rest of 2025 and beyond.

Whether you’re buying, selling, renting or investing—this part of the West Midlands is proving, once again, that it’s one of the region’s most reliable strongholds for property success.

Sales remain strong but house price inflation slows

Sales agreed are running at the fastest pace in four years, increasing by 6% year-on-year. Saying that, we have noted as normal the pace of sales is slowing, and this will continue over the seasonal summer slowdown.

However, more sales doesn't mean faster house price growth. In fact, house price inflation has slowed to 1.4% in the 12 months to May 2025. This is higher than the 0.3% increase recorded a year ago, but lower than the 2% recorded in February. A 14% increase in homes for sale has significantly slowed house price inflation by giving buyers more choice.

Demand for homes remains higher than a year ago but buyers remain price-sensitive, which is also limiting house price inflation. This is particularly important in housing markets with higher average prices, creating an additional affordability hurdle for home buyers.

While average earnings are rising at 5% a year, higher inflation means less scope for the Bank of England to cut interest rates in the coming months.

West Midlands Property Pulse: Sutton Coldfield, Great Barr, Walmley & Four Oaks Market on the Rise

Regional Recovery Led by North Birmingham’s Premier Suburbs

The property market in the northern suburbs of Birmingham—including Sutton Coldfield, Great Barr, Walmley, and Four Oaks—has shown significant resilience and a clear rebound in the first half of 2025. Following a turbulent few years with fluctuating mortgage rates, buyer hesitation, and political uncertainty, these much-loved residential areas are now leading the recovery across the West Midlands.

Local Market Trends: Prices Firming Across the Board

Despite a short-lived dip in early spring following the end of the stamp duty discount period, house prices ihave not only stabilised but in many cases begun to edge upwards again, very slightly.

According to Land Registry data and agent analysis:

• Sutton Coldfield: Average prices now stand at £347,000, with detached homes commanding upwards of £620,000 in Four Oaks and Walmley.
• Great Barr: A traditionally more affordable area, Great Barr has seen a stronger bounce back, with prices now standing at approximately £258,000. Three-bedroom semis remain in high demand.
• Walmley: Often sought after for its schools and "village" charm, Walmley’s average house price has reached £312,000, up 3.5% from 2024.
• Four Oaks: One of the most prestigious residential pockets in the region, Four Oaks has remained remarkably strong, with premium homes seeing a steady 2.8% rise. Larger detached homes, especially those near Sutton Park or the Four Oaks Estate, routinely list for £800,000 to over £1 million.

What’s Driving the Market Rebound?

Several key factors are contributing to this upward trend in the local market:

1. Increased Mortgage Affordability

The Bank of England has held interest rates steady since Q1 2025, and lenders have begun to release more competitive fixed-rate deals. With many buyers locking in sub-4% rates, confidence has returned—particularly among upsizers and first-time buyers.

2. Sustained Demand in School Catchment Areas

Four Oaks, Sutton Coldfield, Walmley, and parts of Great Barr are within catchment for highly sought-after schools. Family homes within these zones continue to see good interest.

3. Lifestyle Appeal Post-Pandemic

Buyers continue to favour areas with a blend of green space and urban convenience. Sutton Park, one of Europe’s largest urban parks, is a major draw, especially for Four Oaks and Walmley buyers. Meanwhile, Great Barr offers more affordability while remaining within easy reach of Birmingham city centre and the M6.

Inventory and Sales Dynamics: More Listings, Faster Sales

Here at Acres, and according to Rightmove data across our network of offices and the suburbs they cover we can report an uptick in both listings and buyer activity:

• Properties priced correctly in Sutton Coldfield and Walmley typically sell within 4-6 weeks, especially those under the £500,000 mark.
• In Great Barr, competitively priced homes often generate multiple viewings within days particularly for extended semis and well-presented family homes.
• The top end of the market in Four Oaks remains more selective, but high-quality homes in the right locations are moving again after a sluggish year.

Presentation and realistic pricing are key. Overpriced listings are still struggling, but well-marketed homes are selling well, and close to their asking price, particularly in streets close to local schools, amenities, or public transport links.

The Rental Market: Yields Rising with Demand

Rental properties in Sutton Coldfield and Great Barr have experienced a surge in demand since late 2024, driven by a growing number of professionals and young families waiting out the mortgage market or saving for deposits.

• Sutton Coldfield average rent: £1,125/month (+6.1%)
• Great Barr average rent: £985/month (+7.3%)
• Four Oaks average rent: £1,235/month (+5.8%)
• Walmley Oaks average rent: £1,150/month (+5.3%)

Landlords are benefiting from reduced void periods and rent increases above the rate of inflation, while demand continues to outpace supply—particularly for 3–4 bedroom family homes and modern apartments near train stations.

 A Market Poised for More Growth ?

Talking with our local estate agent colleagues we cautiously optimistic about the remainder of 2025.

“There’s no question the mood has shifted since late last year,” said Chris Harvey Acres Four oaks Senior Manager. “We’re seeing buyers return with confidence and readiness. They’re financially prepared and eager to move.”

“In Great Barr especially, the market is incredibly active at the £200,000 to £300,000 level. Homes that are modernised and presented well can still surprise us with how fast they go,” said Chris Deeekes Acres Great Barr manager, and assosiate partner.

Forecast: What to Expect in the Second Half of 2025

Analysts predict a total growth of upto 3.5% across the West Midlands this year, with areas like Sutton Coldfield and Great Barr expected to outperform the regional average due to:

• Strong employment and commuter access into Birmingham and beyond
• Solid school networks, which drive family interest year-round
• Limited new-build stock, which continues to support second-hand market strength

The local market remains price sensitive, so accuracy and professional marketing remain vital. However, the fundamentals are clear: the market has turned a corner.

Opportunities & Recommendations

Buyers

Now may be an opportune time to secure a mortgage and act quickly before competition intensifies. Areas like Walmley and Great Barr offer excellent value compared to their more premium counterparts, without sacrificing amenities.

Sellers

With buyer demand returning and a shortage of high-quality listings, this is a prime window to sell, particularly for well-maintained family homes. Professional photography, clear floorplans, and realistic pricing are crucial.

Investors

With rental yields climbing and voids decreasing, now is a strategic time to expand rental portfolios in the suburbs. Focus on family-friendly properties and those near transport links like Chester Road, Wylde Green, and Hamstead.

Final Word: Strength in Familiar Foundations

The property market locally has gained traction, momentum, and renewed confidence. As mortgage rates stabilise and buyer enthusiasm grows, these north Birmingham communities are well-placed to benefit from sustained recovery through the rest of 2025 and beyond.

Whether you’re buying, selling, renting or investing—this part of the West Midlands is proving, once again, that it’s one of the region’s most reliable strongholds for property success.

Would you like more tips and advice? We love being able to help!

Acres Estate Agents are your local, family owned and run property experts for the Sutton Coldfield and Great Barr areas. Call your local office on the numbers below or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to find out how we can help you.

Want to check how much your home is worth? You can get an Instant Valuation here.  

If you would like to discuss selling your home, please get in touch with us This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call any of our busy, helpful teams/offices:

Four Oaks                              0121 323 3088

Sutton Coldfield                        0121 321 2101

Walmley                                0121 313 2888

Great Barr                             0121 358 6222

Lettings                                0121 312 4997

Mortgages                              0121 387 1616

Thank you for reading this article, and your interest in Acres and our property for sale. 

Nigel & Jayne  Deekes – Acres Partners

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Published: 01 July 2025

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Published: 13 June 2025

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Are you planning on selling your house or flat in the UK? Once you’ve accepted an offer and instructed your conveyancer, it’s important for the process to run as smoothly as possible to ensure completion of the deal. With that in mind, leading conveyancing firm AVRillo explains which documents will be essential to ensuring your sale goes to plan… 

1. Proof of ID, address and funds

You must pass Anti-Money Laundering (AML) regulations for the government to allow your estate agent to advertise your property and your lawyer to work on your transaction. 

Find a conveyancing lawyer who’ll carry out a single source AML check to avoid having to pass AML twice, once for your estate agent and then later for your lawyer. Find a lawyer who’ll work with your agent so the AML your lawyer carries out for you will be shared on your behalf with your estate agent – this is a single source AML check and will save you time and money by not having to pass twice. 

To combat money laundering , passing AML is a legal government requirement for sellers and buyers under the government’s Anti-Money Laundering Regulations and The Proceeds of Crime Act 2002. To pass you must produce proof of your identity and address to your estate agents and legal representatives.

Acceptable forms of proof of identity include a valid passport or driving licence. Proof of address can also be demonstrated through a driving licence, bank statement, or utility bill issued within the last three months. 

If you’re a buyer, or a seller who’s also buying, you need to provide bank statements and other paperwork showing evidence of how you’ve accumulated your money known as ‘source of wealth’ and evidence showing where that money is kept and being transferred from which is known as ‘source of funds’. 

2. HMLR Land Registry title deeds

To sell your house, you must provide evidence of your ownership. This document could be a property register or title deeds which demonstrate you’re the legal owner of the property. The Land Registry is responsible for maintaining property ownership records in the UK and you can obtain an official copy of the register from the Land Registry website or request a physical copy through the mail.

As well as being legal documents that prove your ownership rights to a property, title deeds contain detailed information about the property’s boundaries, ownership history, and any rights or restrictions associated with the property and they need to be provided to the buyer of your property or their solicitor to facilitate the transfer of ownership.

If you’ve lost the title deeds, you can apply for a replacement from the Land Registry. Your lawyer will guide you through the process but some deeds will be harder to obtain than others.

3. Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)

An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) is a mandatory document required for most residential properties in the UK. It provides an energy efficiency rating and recommendations for improving energy efficiency. An EPC is valid for 10 years and must be provided to potential buyers. To obtain an EPC, you should hire a qualified Domestic Energy Assessor to assess your property and issue the certificate.

You can’t sell your residential property without an EPC as it’s a legal requirement to have one, however there are certain exemptions from obtaining an EPC, such as listed buildings, temporary structures, and places of worship, but it’s recommended to consult a qualified professional to determine if your property qualifies for an exemption. 

4. Gas safety certificate

If your property has gas appliances, such as boilers, fires, or cookers, you must provide a gas safety certificate to potential buyers. This certificate verifies that all gas installations and appliances in your property have been inspected and deemed safe by a gas safe registered engineer. The certificate is valid for 12 months and must be renewed annually. Buyers will want assurance that the gas installations in the property meet the necessary safety standards, making the gas safety certificate a crucial document in the selling process.

The time it takes to obtain a gas safety certificate depends on the complexity of the gas installations in your property. It’s best to contact a gas safe registered engineer in advance to schedule an inspection. 

5. Electrical safety certificate

Ensuring the safety of electrical installations is incredibly important when selling a house. An Electrical Safety Certificate, also known as an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR), verifies the safety and compliance of the electrical systems in your property. A qualified electrician issues this certificate after thoroughly inspecting the electrical installations. The Electrical Safety Certificate should be provided to potential buyers, assuring them that the electrical systems in the property are safe and meet the required standards.

6. Planning permissions

If you’ve made alterations or extensions to your property, you must ensure the necessary planning permissions were obtained. Planning permissions are official approvals granted by the local planning authority for specific building works. Buyers will want assurance that any changes made to the property comply with local regulations and have the appropriate permissions in place. Failure to provide the required planning permissions can raise concerns and potentially delay the sale process. It’s essential to consult your local planning authority and obtain the relevant documentation for any modifications made to your property.

If you’ve made alterations without obtaining the necessary planning permission, you may face consequences such as fines or being required to revert the changes. It’s essential to consult your local planning authority to rectify the situation and potentially obtain retrospective planning permission if needed.

7. Building regulation certificates

In addition to planning permissions, building regulation certificates are vital documents that confirm compliance with building regulations for significant alterations or extensions. These certificates are issued by the local authority or an approved inspector after the completion of the building works. Building regulation certificates provide evidence that the construction work meets the required safety, accessibility, and energy efficiency standards. It’s crucial to retain these certificates and provide them to potential buyers as proof of compliance.

8. Guarantees and warranties

It’s essential to provide relevant guarantees and warranties to potential buyers if you’ve made significant renovations or improvements to your property. These documents demonstrate that the work was done by qualified professionals and offer assurances regarding the quality and longevity of the improvements. Examples of guarantees and warranties include that for roofing, damp proofing, double glazing, and central heating systems. These documents provide peace of mind to buyers and enhance the overall value of your property.

9. FENSA

As a homeowner, you must obtain a FENSA certificate from a registered installer when they replace windows or doors on your property. The certificate serves as proof that the installation complies with the building regulations and is in accordance with the energy efficiency, performance standards, and safety regulations.

10. Leasehold documents if you’re selling a leasehold (flat)

The key leasehold documents you should gather and understand to facilitate a faster and more successful sale include:

Lease extension documentation: duration and mortgage considerations:

It’s important to note that many mortgages don’t cover leases with less than 80 years remaining. If your lease falls into this category, it can potentially hinder the sale of your property. If you’ve lived in the property for a minimum of two years, you may consider extending the lease or initiating the extension process.

Lease details and marketing material:

Make sure to locate your lease document. Your estate agent should provide comprehensive information about the property’s tenure in their marketing material including the remaining lease, the term, current ground rent, service charges, and planned increases. 

Obtaining the leasehold information pack:

Your conveyancer will contact the freeholder and/or managing agent to obtain the leasehold information pack. It’s crucial not to delay this process as acquiring the pack can take some time. Ensure you buy a management pack from your freeholder managing company as soon as possible. They’ll send you these documents to give to your conveyancer for them to digest, deal with on your behalf and send to the buyer’s conveyancer who needs these to proceed.

Potential buyer concerns:

Prospective buyers will want to understand key lease terms including service charges, ground rent, and administration fees. With this in mind, it’s essential to provide your conveyancer with documents related to the following:

• Service charges, such as copies of accounts
• Share certificates
• Memorandum and articles of association 
• Buildings insurance
• Recent correspondence from the freeholder or managing agent
• Planned works and assessments scheduled for the property such as roof replacements  
• Fire risk assessments
• Asbestos reports
• Estate rent charges 
• Building Safety Act issues including cladding and other safety legislation 

11. New build warranties 

For new builds or properties under 10 years old, you must have a copy of your Buildmark (NHBC) or other new home policy/warranty documents. These documents provide essential protection and peace of mind to homeowners, ensuring that any potential issues or defects with the property are addressed and covered by the warranty.

Buildmark is a widely recognised and trusted warranty provided by the National House Building Council (NHBC) in the UK. It offers protection against various structural defects that may arise within the first 10 years of owning a new build property. This includes defects in the foundation, roof, walls, windows, and other crucial structural elements. A Buildmark warranty or an equivalent new home policy/warranty document is highly beneficial and provides homeowners with financial protection and support in case of unexpected repairs or remedial work needed due to structural defects. In addition to structural defects, new home warranties often cover other aspects such as plumbing, electrical systems, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. It’s essential to carefully review the specific terms and coverage your warranty document provides as warranties typically have specific guidelines and procedures for making claims and obtaining necessary repairs.

Your Buildmark or other new home policy/warranty documents show potential buyers that your property is protected and that any unforeseen issues will be addressed which can enhance the marketability of your property.

12. Mortgage statement

If you have an outstanding mortgage on your property, you must obtain a mortgage statement from your mortgage provider. This document outlines the outstanding balance, payment schedule, and any other relevant mortgage details. It’s a requirement from the buyer’s conveyancers to ensure they can pay off the mortgage and leave the property legal charge free. No financial obligations are impending on the seller’s title at completion. It’s therefore essential to inform your mortgage provider about your intention to sell and obtain an updated statement reflecting the current status of your mortgage.

13. Other upfront material information

Government guidance defines material facts as things which may have a major impact on whether a buyer decides to purchase your home. For example, if it regularly floods or is of non-standard construction. Estate agents are legally required to share this information with potential buyers.

You’ll also be asked for any non-optional financial commitments such as council tax, leasehold charges and rent charge costs if your property is on a new build estate.

Government guidance for selling a house also suggests you should provide any Part Wall Agreements which are needed when carrying out any building work near or on a party wall shared with a neighbour which can impact the structure and boundary wall with your neighbour. Restrictive covenants are binding conditions written into a property’s deeds or contract by a seller to determine what a homeowner can or can’t do with their house or land under particular circumstances.

While you want to present your home in the best possible light, you shouldn’t mislead potential buyers by covering up defects, for example, by painting over damp patches. Any problems are likely to come up in the buyer’s survey. This could lead to price negotiations and possible delays which could’ve been avoided.  

The more material information and documentation you can provide up-front to your solicitor, the better. You can then get their advice on what needs to be passed on to the buyer. This will reduce the risk of avoidable delays, costs and buyers pulling out when information materialises later. 

Content provided by OnTheMarket.com is for information purposes only. Independent and professional advice should be taken before buying, selling, letting or renting property, or buying financial products.

Want to check how much your home is worth? You can get an Instant Valuation here.  

If you would like to discuss selling your home, please get in touch with us This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call any of our busy, helpful teams/offices:

Four Oaks                              0121 323 3088

Sutton Coldfield                  0121 321 2101

Walmley                                 0121 313 2888

Great Barr                             0121 358 6222

Lettings                                  0121 312 4997

Mortgages                            0121 387 1616

Thank you for reading this article, and your interest in Acres and our property for sale. 

Nigel & Jayne  Deekes – Acres Partners

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Published: 29 May 2025

Hits: 758

Acres team are set, and ready for this years fun run on Sunday.

Please come along and support all the runners, walkers and teams. It is a great day, superb atmosphere and best of all - thousands of pounds will be raised for many deserving charities - Course route

Acres are proud to once more be supporting MDNA- Donate here