Rotundaaaaa!

[Saving For a Space Ship]

anyone know what price one beds are fetching at the rotunda and Mailbox at the moment ?

Whats the general position with empty property in Birmingham city centre? Things seem to have gone a bit quiet

dunno, but my new avatar appears to fit this thread.........

.......they thought they were buying some high rise futuristic dream ......what muppets!

[Saving For a Space Ship]

"Rotundaaaaa!"

Is that the sound of someone jumping out of the window of one of their "luxury" flats, when they realise that their "investment" isn`t quite what they thought it would be ?

"Rotundaaaaa!" reminds me of the crowd mania in the Simpsons 'Monorail' episode.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAk2BBhQm1o...feature=related

Edited August 11, 2008 by Saving For a Space Ship

[brumroccoco]

Daft Boy

I've been tracking the Brum city centre market for the last 2 years or so, not sure about the Mailbox or Rotunda specifically, but generally 1 beds are going for 120k at the moment, down from a high of 150 in 2005 to 07. But due to oversupply & continual building (one or two sites appear to have been moth-balled), no doubt this will exacerbate the fall. My best guess is 75/80k by 2010/11, maybe even more in certain areas, as the vast majority of these flats are BTLs.

Kool and the gang

As an aside, had my 6 monthly visit from my LL last week. He's an affable bloke, but was telling me of his concerns at the market. I thought he & his mate only had the place I rent, but since found out he has 2 others. Worse was to follow. He brought this place in 2005, and the other 2 in 2006 & 2007. And then the money shot. He'd MEW'd on his own home to pay for the deposit on each. I didn't want to scare him into making a rash decision (like selling this place under me, selfish I know!), but as he was telling me this I was nodding in my most concerned way, whilst all along thinking 'you're screwed'. Still, he told me he was in it 'for the long term', I'm just hoping for his sake his definition of long is that same as mine.......

['Bart']

Still, he told me he was in it 'for the long term'.

Oh he's definitely "in it", right up to his neck.

Hope that it doesn't rebound on you too much though.

[Meenzer]

Probably not once you factor in council tax and bills. How much is halls at Aston these days? I paid £42 pw back in '97. That was in one of the high rises as the new ones hadn't yet been built.

Veteran of the sadly condemned Lawrence and Dalton Towers here - low £40s pcw in first year, up to high £40s by final year. The new halls were finished by the time I left, but I never took a shine to them. Nice and shiny and en-suitey, sure, but they felt like they were destined to be populated by cliques of foreign students and the parentally bankrolled. Give me a washbasin and a bed in a matchbox served by unreliable lifts any day of the week - what more do you need? The student experience isn't meant to be cushy, and a bit of shared discomfort is the best ice-breaker there is.

[MrPin]

Veteran of the sadly condemned Lawrence and Dalton Towers here - low £40s pcw in first year, up to high £40s by final year. The new halls were finished by the time I left, but I never took a shine to them. Nice and shiny and en-suitey, sure, but they felt like they were destined to be populated by cliques of foreign students and the parentally bankrolled. Give me a washbasin and a bed in a matchbox served by unreliable lifts any day of the week - what more do you need? The student experience isn't meant to be cushy, and a bit of shared discomfort is the best ice-breaker there is.

Yes, that's my experience of being a student! A cheesey bedsit, with bar fire, pre-payment electricity meter, and a shared bathroom two floors down.

No internet or cell-phones then, either!

I'm amazed at the "market" for these student-palaces!

Yes, and it rained all the time, just like in "Bladerunner"! About the same year too.

Edited August 12, 2008 by MrPin

[frozen_out]

Veteran of the sadly condemned Lawrence and Dalton Towers here - low £40s pcw in first year, up to high £40s by final year. The new halls were finished by the time I left, but I never took a shine to them. Nice and shiny and en-suitey, sure, but they felt like they were destined to be populated by cliques of foreign students and the parentally bankrolled. Give me a washbasin and a bed in a matchbox served by unreliable lifts any day of the week - what more do you need? The student experience isn't meant to be cushy, and a bit of shared discomfort is the best ice-breaker there is.

I was in Dalton first year, and ABG in my final year (Now THAT's rough ). They started building the new ones in my first year. I loved Aston.

[AteMoose]

I was in Dalton first year, and ABG in my final year (Now THAT's rough ). They started building the new ones in my first year. I loved Aston.

Lawrence first year, ABG final year (which I loved, lived in much rougher place off campus in my second year). The new ones seemed over priced, they were nice enough inside but not that nice ;p

Edited August 12, 2008 by moosetea

[Daft Boy]

Daft Boy

I've been tracking the Brum city centre market for the last 2 years or so, not sure about the Mailbox or Rotunda specifically, but generally 1 beds are going for 120k at the moment, down from a high of 150 in 2005 to 07. But due to oversupply & continual building (one or two sites appear to have been moth-balled), no doubt this will exacerbate the fall. My best guess is 75/80k by 2010/11, maybe even more in certain areas, as the vast majority of these flats are BTLs.

Thanks brumroccoco. its looking good.

[Little Professor]

Rightmove has 177 apartments available to rent in this development. There's a huge variation in pricing - some jokers are trying to ask £750 for a 1-bed flat, when there are 2-beds available for £625.

Also, got to love this RM listing

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/viewdetails-211...=1&tr_t=buy

"SEE ACTUAL PICTURES!!!"

Yes, £269,000 for this.

[AteMoose]

this one has been on the market for 2->3 years since it was built:

1.65 million for a 3 bedroom flat in brum:

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/viewdetails-651...=2&tr_t=buy

[Saving For a Space Ship]

Have the bbc no shame?

Apparently not, as on bbc 2 now there is even more property porn called 'Double Agents' where they are ramping Birmingham City centre flats. I think this is a newish show, though as banal as all the rest.

Annoying Dom Ex-car dealer bloke & the camp one from the regular bbc 'morn' porn' property shows try to be letting agents .

It's a bit weird with 'mystery shoppers' wanting to rent. There's no real explanation as the whether this is part of the show.

Edited August 13, 2008 by Saving For a Space Ship

[Executive Sadman]

Im probably the only one, but i preferred Birmingham before it was 'regenerated',

[The 4 Horsemen]

Still, he told me he was in it 'for the long term', I'm just hoping for his sake his definition of long is that same as mine.......

He can be in it for the long term if you are acquiescent to a 50% hike in rent.

[Serpico]

Im probably the only one, but i preferred Birmingham before it was 'regenerated',

Don't think so I was born there before the war, served my time at Norton Motor Cycles in Bracebridge Street, Hockley with five years apprentuceship one day a week at Bournville Tech, fantastic place to work and live when it was one of Industrual Manufacturing Capitals of the World and Made in Birmingham was famous. The Coat if arms was called 'FORWARD' and the claim was you want it we can make it and so we good. we supplied the Confederate Stayes with arm during the civil war.

What happened Lucas, GKN, Dunlop, Avery Scales, Ariel, Velocette, BSA, the Gun & Jewellery Quarters, the finest tradesmen in the world all gone, nothing but service and public sector jobs left.

Left there in 1970 after selling up the wifes two Pharmacies to live in Cheshire. everyone I new ae scattered around the world now.

Edited August 13, 2008 by Serpico

[The 4 Horsemen]

Im probably the only one, but i preferred Birmingham before it was 'regenerated',

More places to hide!

[Reck B]

Crikey. Some of these places are terrifying - I can't imagine living in a worse looking place than some of these pictures. IMHO man is just not supposed to live in boxes stacked 20 high and surrounded by other people. It makes me claustrophobic thinking about it.

[Serpico]

Crikey. Some of these places are terrifying - I can't imagine living in a worse looking place than some of these pictures. IMHO man is just not supposed to live in boxes stacked 20 high and surrounded by other people. It makes me claustrophobic thinking about it.

Did they not build sky rise flats before then blew the feckers up because they turned unto slum ghetto's.

[mspL4]

Hold on, these are Brummies, not Scousers.

Screw You DissipatedYouthIsValuable, another shot at the Scousers, where the F**K are you from? G0B$h1t3

[dryrot]

Crikey. Some of these places are terrifying - I can't imagine living in a worse looking place than some of these pictures. IMHO man is just not supposed to live in boxes stacked 20 high and surrounded by other people. It makes me claustrophobic thinking about it.

You're right of course.

But the flats were never sold to OOs i mean, the buyers never meant to live there. They were hooked on renting em out for profit or flipping them to a bigger mug.

But that's all over now!

[Jim B.]

Rightmove has 177 apartments available to rent in this development. There's a huge variation in pricing - some jokers are trying to ask £750 for a 1-bed flat, when there are 2-beds available for £625.

Also, got to love this RM listing

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/viewdetails-211...=1&tr_t=buy

Yes, £269,000 for this.

No offence to anyone, but it's a glorified council flat really. Except you probably get more room in a council flat. For £270k!!! If there was an example of how crazy the market had become it's that place.

[Not Long Now]

Screw You DissipatedYouthIsValuable, another shot at the Scousers, where the F**K are you from? G0B$h1t3

Yeah DYIV!

Stop taking taking pot shots at the Scousers, (they are more than capable of shooting at themseleves - without you needing to get involved).

[Not Long Now]

No offence to anyone, but it's a glorified council flat really. Except you probably get more room in a council flat. For £270k!!! If there was an example of how crazy the market had become it's that place.

Too right.

It's funny driving past the place in the evening. Normally only 4/5 lights on.

Waste of money..

[Captain Coma]

Im probably the only one, but i preferred Birmingham before it was 'regenerated',

I was there between 1975 and 1983 (from 10 to 18 years of age). *Memory Lane flash*. Yeah, it was great as a teenager, and the dilapidation was part of the magic.

I remember how elegantly deserted it used to be around Queensway, the few cinemas, the subway complexes; the yucky old Bull Ring and the rag market down Digbeth; Woodruffe's music store where we used to while away Saturday afternoons, and the weird hippy shop around the back; the quiet of Sun Hill; then later the Elbow Room in Handsworth and God knows how many great little gig places. That mad huge comic place I used to get copies of National Lampoon from, when Yank stuff was strange and exotic. The Costermonger!

All gone now to shiny corporate shit.

I came from London and now I'm back in London, but I look back on Brum (where I was always a bit of an outsider) with great and lasting fondness. Many of my loves are there.

And if you take the piss I'll fight you I will!

Edit: spelling as usual

Edited August 13, 2008 by Captain Coma

[Y-QUERK]

I went to university in Birmingham in 1999 and by 2004 when I left the centre was transformed for the better IMO. Sure the old layout had character but seriously it was a real dump. Parts of it still are and it still has a way to go to clean up the crappy areas in the city centre but its goning in the right direction.

Edited August 13, 2008 by Nikelodeon