The city is also one of the UK’s top shopping destinations with many new developments centred around retail and the city centre almost entirely transformed over the past decade. Birmingham has a renowned restaurant scene and vibrant nightlife, there are museums, culture centres, regular markets and multiple leisure facilities across the city – it’s of little wonder it’s such a popular place to live.

Birmingham is home to 5 universities, with around 80,000 students studying each year, many of whom choose to remain in the city due to the job opportunities on offer, and the vibrant lifestyle, further adding to the demand for quality rental accommodation.

The reasons many choose to live in Birmingham are clear and for investors the financial prospects are good. The entry price point for many off plan options in Birmingham and the surrounding areas are far lower than the national average. In fact, the average price of a property in Birmingham is around a third of the average price of a property in London.

Rental yields are another key consideration for investors and Birmingham has some of the strongest figures currently on offer in the UK. The average yield is around 6% but in certain areas yields of over 10% can be achieved.

To add to the appeal of Birmingham rental investment yields have demonstrated strong growth over recent years, with average yields have risen considerably in recent years and JLL predicts that rental yields across the West Midlands could rise by as much as 12% over the next five years.

Over the past 5 years, property prices in Birmingham have risen by over 20% (according to Zoopla) and the forecast for future capital appreciation is bright with the most recent Savills prediction citing 24% price growth for properties in the West Midlands by 2025 – the opportunity for capital appreciation in Birmingham is excellent.