During the Industrial Revolution, Birmingham grew into a leading centre of trade and innovation and was home to a flourishing manufacturing industry. That industrial tradition has persevered and today the city is an automobile industry hub, with a number of reputable brands, including Land Rover and Jaguar, based in Birmingham. Additionally, Birmingham is, along with London, one of the UK's two major jewellery centres. The prosperity of the city's manufacturing industry has also driven the development of foreign trade, with more than 25% of the country's export products manufactured in Birmingham.

In 2011, the Birmingham City Council released a 20-year development plan with the vision to create a world-class city centre with a total investment of £10 billion by growing the city core by 25% and planning for more office, residential, learning and leisure space. The goal is to create 50,000 jobs, which will bring an estimated economic benefit of £2.1 billion a year.

The British government is building the High Speed 2 (HS2) railway, the backbone of the national railway network, connecting 8 largest cities in the country and about 30 million people - just under half of the UK's total population. The first stage, slated for completion in 2026, will run from London to Birmingham, cutting the travel time between the two cities to just 45 minutes - 37 minutes faster than the current time. The local government has also made plans to extend four West Midlands Metro tram lines to expand the city centre and more efficiently connect with HS2, with the new lines expected to be operational by the end of 2023. The transport networks in and around Birmingham are being continually improved and developed, adding to the convenience of living and commuting in the city.

Birmingham is the second largest city in the UK, with a current population of more than 1.1 million and an expected population of more than 1.3 million by 2039. With up to 40% of the population aged 25 or under, it is one of the youngest and most dynamic cities in the UK. The costs of living and doing business are more economical than in London, attracting many London residents and many large enterprises to relocate to Birmingham. There are five internationally ranked universities in the city, with a student population of 80,000. Nearly half of the graduates from these universities stay in Birmingham every year to start their careers, ensuring a continual stream of talented new entrants to the area's workforce and real estate rental market.

In Birmingham, the average residential property price is less than £200,000, which is 60% lower than in London, and 5% lower than in the northern city of Manchester. It is widely expected by the market that property prices in West Midlands county, which includes Birmingham, will increase by 15% in the next five years. With the completion of HS2, Birmingham will become the UK's central hub, which is expected to lead to further gains in real estate values and rents.