Guide to best areas to live in Manchester for first job new to the area

[Pistachiomonster]

Best areas to live near Manchester for young graduates early 20’s and best places to look for somewhere to rent needed from July? One will be commuting to Birchwood business park three days a week the other will be commuting to Manchester three days a week.

Two Uni friends new to the area want to find a house or flat to rent. Need parking for two cars, access to good public transport, social life and reasonable rent. Chat GPT comes up with Monton, Didsbury, Altrincham, Urmston, Irlam
and Stretford.

Stockport is a good call. Quite a few nice independent quirky type shops opening. Coffee shops, bars, etc.

Right the one who is working in Manchester (three days a week and travelling in by public transport is dead set on living close to Manchester, preference is Didsbury for socialising (they don’t want a high rise flat and ideally want to keep car for weekend trips and visiting family etc).

The other who will be working at Birchwood Business Park in Warrington (three days a week, will need a car at work some of the time for site visits). Is flexible about location doesn’t have a preference but would be happy with Didsbury as agree it will likely be a good move socially but also happy to consider other areas.

Parking for two cars in or near Didsbury is impossible. Where else would people recommend for two young single grads who definitely need one parking space, don’t want a high rise block of flats and both need to travel to work (one will need to do this by car sometimes) but they also want to be close to Manchester for socialising.

A reality check? They need to work it out for themselves. They've been given lots of useful information on this thread via you, OP.

Stockport?
Sale?

I actually own an apartment in St George’s island in castlefield and it’s a lovely development with parking, plus if you live on the ground floor you don’t notice you’re in an apartment building. It’s surrounded by restaurants and the canal and is very central so it’s worth considering plus you wouldn’t need to use the rammed trams to get around. It’s also very popular. I wouldn’t mind living there apart from the fact it’s in Manchester.

Birchwood Business Park is about 2 miles from the train station, and I wouldn't say it was a particularly good walking route. There are about 3 million roundabouts 😂. It would definitely be somewhere I'd drive to work and not rely on public transport. Saying that, I don't know about the buses to there from the station.

They have walked the route before as quite into fitness. I think there is also bus transport.

How much do they want to spend OP?

There are houses available for rent in Urmston.
It's maybe 20 minutes drive from Birchwood (but I don't drive in rush hour). There are a couple of alternative routes but if issues on the motorway it can be a nightmare.
Where in Manchester will they be working?
The train is 10-15 minutes to Manchester Oxford Road and they run every 30 minutes or so. An Uber is about £15 from Manchester City Centre to Urmston if they're out late. Last train at 11.30.
There is a fair bit in Urmston, restaurants and bars etc.
Close to the Trafford Centre if they like shopping.

Properties To Rent in Urmston | Rightmove https://share.google/uPba5ZQJVEFz1n3Z7

Urmston has been mentioned and imo is a good call. Motorway access, train route, tram at Trafford Centre.Didsbury is way too expensive if you are on average wage and the parking is dreadful. Stockport area is on the up.

East Didsbury, Parr's Wood, Burnage are all easy places to get to the motorway network, Manchester and Didsbury for socialising.

DS friend moved to West Didsbury in Sept and loves it. He looked at Salford but a lot of those flats are covered in the same stuff as Grenfell Towers were....ongoing.

Could I please PM you, we are thinking of buying a flat there.

Would be nice to discuss with someone who owns in the area.

Altrincham, Sale and Stretford are popular with families for the schools. So this might not suit them, plus it can make these areas expensive and property in demand, rentals especially.

I agree with avoiding the M56 / M6 for going to Birchwood. I used to travel there a fair bit and it’s painful joining the M6 at that junction before the Thelwall viaduct. They could go through the lanes around Partington and cross at the Warbuton Bridge (£1 a day I believe now).

I agree the Birchwood driver would be best relying on the M62. I’d look for easy links to there. It’s easier to commute into Manchester City Centre than battle the drive to Birchwood.

Grizzly Risley?! I learnt to drive round there, I was a local so I feel I can call it that. So many roundabouts, it’s much more geared towards cars than pedestrians around there. It was a blueprint for out of town development I think.

I really really like Stockport but I would not want to commute from there to Birchwood three times a week. It could become a very long day if there’s an accident on the motorway.

What about castlefield/ Salford way? Right side of the city to get to Warrington. Central.

didsbury houses (east) is easily £1500 a month for 3 beds. Parking for one car on drive.

but I’d definitely be steering towards Salford them everyone gets their commuting requirements. I do this commute and it’s much easier from Salford.

Person that doesn’t want high rise may well change their mind when they see what’s available

You get used to it. But driving back on a Friday is hard!

If you're going to commute to Birchwood by train, then Manchester Oxford Road, Urmson or Irlam are on the same line.

Be aware that Birchwood Business Park is big and depending on exactly where in the park they are it might be a bit of a trek from the station. When I worked there there was a small bus that did a circular route around the park at peak times around 9am and 5pm, but little outside those times - sone people took cycles on the train.I'd suggest they ask their future employer about transport options.

wren and Julie twist

Salford definitely makes sense. I mean they’re going to be renting not buying, so what if it’s not their dream property and is a flat rather than a house. I’d be prioritising location over the specific property. There are lower blocks of flats as well in Salford. And houses…..though the flats are often in nicer areas.

Many parts of Salford are easily walkable to Manchester centre. Dd lives in Castlefield but her home is literally the last property in Manchester, she’s on the banks of the Irwell. So she could toss a stone to the next building over the river and that’s Salford. Keep heading west and it gets cheaper and more chance of parking. Her nearest supermarket is Salford, Salford train station is probably closer for her than Piccadilly. So if they can find somewhere that side of Salford in budget and with parking it would be a good location.

I’d ditch the cars, live in town and get the train to Birchwood/ walk to Manchester (it says train faster than driving) Castlefield, Ancoats, Cornbrook etc. live their best life for a few years and save money by not running a car. You don’t need one. Hire a car/get train for trips.

Alternatively they need to be South West Manchester: Chorlton (cool, quite. expensive) Whalley Range/Firswood: mid expensive short walk to Chorlton. Stretford: up and coming, tram to city, walk to Chorlton,
Mix of alternative and family. Urmston: Great centre. Bus to city. Slightly more family orientated.

or Withington and West Didsbury also an option but slightly further away from both city and Warrington.

Wherever they live, they’ll love it!

Yes thats what i thought their is a warning on many of the flats listed about that.

Thanks yes the one working in Manchester could easily manage without a car but mine needs own car for site visits which might be one or two a week.

the problem is they are looking for what everyone wants in the areas everyone wants. 2 beds, 2 parking spaces is going to be at a premium in popular areas like Didsbury and Castlefields. What’s their budget?

The person with the commute to Birchwood is going to have the worst commute of the two if they rent within the m60. Do they mind? Probably need to be on the road at 7am to beat the worst of it. Id suggest a few trial runs myself, but you said they are not in the area? Not sure how they plan to do viewings when stuff gets snapped up in hours. So they need to think about that.

Ultimately, they need a plan. Do they prioritise areas based on socialising or the birchwood commute? Could they compromise on 1 parking space if needs be?
Personally I think if Didsbury is unaffordable they could look at Stretford/Firswood. I think Stockport would also be worth considering (and is on the up) but the person doing that commute needs to be comfortable what they are letting themselves in for.