Any tips for a first time buyer home near Manchester City Centre?

[Gregorianchant]

The budget is £80k-£100k, but could maybe stretch a bit for the right property. Would like 2 beds and a safe area not too far from the centre ie walking distance or near to good public transport links. There seem to be a number of 2 up 2 down on Zoopla etc from £55k upwards, but I have no idea what is a good place to buy. The house is intended for 2-3 years for a couple, no DC involved so schools not important.

All suggestions welcome!

DH and I have been on a hunt as well so I thought I could perhaps help you out a little. I think you need to firstly think about what are you going to do with the property 2-3 years later i.e. to sell it or to rent it. If you'd like to rent it, then location is very important. You can consider buying around Hulme, Oxford Road or Salford to attract students tenants. If you are thinking of renting it out to young professionals then nearer to the city centre is great too! I think you can consider Sport City or Beswick (I'm currently renting in the latter.)

I think for 80-100k it might be a little difficult to get right in the city centre such as Northern Quarter, Ancoats and New Islington. But I think these places will be easy for you to either rent or sell.

Have a look at www.police.uk It provides crime mapping so you know how safe an area is and what's the usual crime in that area. And www.hoa.or.uk gives a lot of information for first time buyers so you might want to check that out.

Hope this helps! All the best in your hunt!

Thanks very much young, that's really helpful. We have been looking at M7 (Salford) which seems to have some good properties.

Just a thought but for the sake of just 2-3 years it might be cheaper to rent? Lots of costs buying a house, and when selling it. In an uncertain market it could be worth less, in the cheaper parts of Manchester in three years time.

house - do you have knowledge/experience of the Manchester market?

The agents tell me that the market is moving very quickly (yes, I know, they would, wouldn't they?). And the costs should not be too high as it's below the stamp duty threshold. There would also be rent to pay if we don't buy (not getting a mortgage) so even if it drops a bit, I don't think we will be worse off.

So, I think I want to go ahead, just looking for a few tips where to buy, really.

If you're not getting a mortgage, I think it might be best for you to rent the place out in future. It'll then be another form of income!

I'm not too sure about Salford though. I know it's easy to attract students tenants but safety wise, I've heard otherwise. Maybe you want to try looking into Stretford as well. My friend has been persuading us to get a place there (she and her family lives there)as it seems that there'll be new tram route in that area. But we haven't found anything we like in that area.

Thanks young, will look into Stretford.

A bit of knowledge, moved last year.

You are right about the estate agents, ignore them. The market is mainly dead in that price bracket, MMR mortgage rules that kicked in last April saw to that. You have a big advantage being a cash buyer.

Looked around M7, broughton a couple of years ago, family houses looked cheap but some very ropey streets. The houses that sold seemed to get converted into hmo's. A lot of apartments being built around there, hard to tell what it will be like in a few years time.

Young adult, Stretford is on the original tram line from Altrincham. I grew up there, and recently moved very close to Stretford. A few things happening in Stretford at the moment , regeneration plan for the centre/Stretford mall, esseldo theatre being restored, public hall plans for community use etc.

None of the areas you are looking at are that great - you need to be very selective about which streets where. East Manchester has had lots of investment in the last ten to fifteen years.

Your budget, if you can stretch a bit, could also buy you a flat in Whalley Range. Walkable to town and Chorlton a very short walk away. Again, you'd need to be selective and there are lots of rentals and HMO in WR because there are lots of big, old houses. But, recent tram extension nearby and on the fringes of Chorlton - sought after area.

Avoid Edward Mellor. They are awful whether you are selling/buying and they have preferred developers/investors they sell to, so you won't get a look in on some properties (I mostly dealt with the south Mcr offices, I've no idea if they are all as bad!).

I wouldn't want to walk to/from Mcr city centre at odd hours from East Manchester at all - it gets very quiet and I don't know id walk to Salford either. Major bus routes I would be happier with.

Be very, very careful about the area. Lots of estate agents are quite creative in their descriptions of locations. I wouldn't be walking on my own anywhere in Manchester after dark so look for good transport links. You will get a nicer property in a safer area if you go a bit further from the city centre.

Nina - as a native Mancunian I think being street smart and aware of your surroundings is important, a blanket 'I wouldn't walk anywhere after dark' is scaremongering.

Salford Quays, yes, Salford, no except Media City. Northern Quarter and Ancoats, yes (but you'll struggle to find anywhere and it's ALL flats). East Manchester, generally no - Beswick and New Iz might be good long term investments but you wouldn't like it now. Whalley Range on the buses yes, otherwise no as it's not really quite near anywhere, and you will only get a flat there too. Moss Side no (shops and public transport awful even though there are some nice little houses, you'd have to walk 15-20 minutes for a cup of coffee), Hulme yes if you go up right near town (near the Boundary of the Township of Manchester sign). Chorlton is a few miles out of town but great transport but really expensive. Didsbury totally out of your reach. Withington possible, if you don't mind students and stay on the buses (Wilmslow Road/Burton Road/etc) or go round the back to the new tram stop on Princess Parkway - there's a development across the road that is ok.

Hulme might actually be your best bet. They are building a huge new university campus extension and halls there soon and so you'll be able to rent the place out in the future if you want to. You can walk to Castlefield or Oxford Road in 10 minutes from the top end. Lots of artists and musicians etc. Getting expensive I spose, but you still might find somewhere for 100k. I'd stay away from Hulme High Street/ASDA and go further up near the Redbricks and town.

OP mentioned a 2 bed house, not flat.

Whalley range is also next to Moss side. High crime, drug related.

new Islington(Ancoats) went pear-shaped with the crash, couple of years ago it was still half finished & deserted, mess everywhere, canal side house plots unsold - have they finished it yet? imagine would be quite expensive so close to town.

why would anyone want to become a landlord? loads of hassle/loss with missed rents, voids and damage.

Look - nowhere within walking distance of the city centre at the price level the OP has asked about is going to be great.

I have friends who live in WR - it really depends whereabouts.

Better areas are more expensive or further out so don't meet the OP's brief.

Taconata states only Salford Quays/Media City are any good in Salford. Both are right next door to Ordsall and the lower part of Pendleton/Weaste. Not great areas. It's not as if the OP is looking to buy in Worsley!

Salford is a no no unless Salford quays. Stretford is marginally better as you move out towards sale but I think may be out of your price range.

I think you will struggle to get a good area on your budget if I'm brutally honest.

Apologies Taconata - you also mentioned NQ (Manchester though, not Salford? Not 100% on boundaries) and Ancoats.

Yeah, I really think the only place where you could conceivably get all that for 100k is Hulme Locks, and then you'll be lucky (and it's probably a flat).

The thing is, if you're not going to be there long, you don't want an area that will eventually improve, and that is what you can get for 100k. Cheetham Hill will presumably eventually get better because it's so centrally located and town is moving out that way, but it's not good now, which is why the houses are so comparatively cheap. Loads of people are buying lovely old houses in Longsight and Levenshulme at the moment because they want the period semi and they work at the central universities/hospitals, but again, that's a longer term speculation on the area based on location and housing stock, not a signal that it's a nice place to live right now. Moss Side is always cheap but its problems seem intractable, largely because of the transport issues and the tram has declared it won't connect there.

You want somewhere that's good to live in now, and that's probably a rented flat in somewhere really fab for a young couple, like Castlefield, the NQ, or the Quays, if you want to be central.

I think as a child free couple who work in the city centre (?) and presumably enjoy spending time out eating, theatregoing etc (isn't that what the child free do? ) I would go for as central as possible. Loads and loads of new developments in town and within reasonable distance. They rent out well too.

South Manchester is where it is at though.

I'd agree you have to be careful near Salford Quays, if you cross the road to Ordsall it quickly goes downhill. Cheetham Hill had a bit of a price surge last year, but there's nothing I can see that's great about it, sort of place you'd need to have family already living there to move to.
Agree Levenshulme/Lonsight has the potential with the period houses, but there are a lot of issues after decades of decline, will it ever happen? (because it didn't happen during the last boom). Thought of Firswood but it appears to be expensive! What about Prestwich? its on the tramline and crime is lower than south Manchester generally.

Houses are generally more stable in value/less riskier than flats.

If Prestwich is brought into the equation then frankly there are lots of other areas which could also be suitable. But they do not meet the OP's brief of being a short walk from Manchester city centre.

the brief said '..or good transport links'

So it did - in that case I'll throw Monton and Swinton into the mix. Monton probably more attractive to a young couple with it's high street with bars, a couple of restaurants, coffee places, etc.

Where on earth is New Islington?!?

Ancoats, if you're not a developer or an estate agent.

Wowfudge, having witnessed in professional capacity the aftermath of people (including native Mancunians) walking on their own after dark, I disagree. I suppose the same would go for any major city in the UK, not just Manchester. And yes, I have done it and no, nothing has ever happened to me, or my friends or my family, but in my opinion it would still be wise for OP to assume that she would be taking public transport at some point and hence try and make sure that wherever she buys is close to good transport links, not just within walking distance of city centre. Should help in rental potential/resale value, too.