Levenshulme: guidance, s'il vous plait.

[PlausibleSuit]

We're looking at moving to south Manchester.

I used to live in Didsbury, but prices around there are high and I want to see if we can get a bit more space for a bit less money in a nearby area.

I'm considering Levenshulme. I know that it's currently a hot-spot. And on a couple of drives round, we saw some beautiful houses. It's also handy for both Manchester and London (Piccadilly and Stockport train stations). I also know that it's not the same as Didsbury.

So if anyone has any specific local knowledge or suggestions, I would be very interested and grateful. For example, are there desirable and less desirable parts of Levenshulme, and if so, where? Is there a dividing road you want to be one side of, or anything like that?

Some background. We're a gay couple in our 30s. No DC (yet - possibly in the future). Two dogs, two cars. We're after a freehold house, ideally 3-bed. I work from home, or in and out during the day. My OH would commute into central Manchester.

Budget up to 400k but ideally we'd spend less than that - I'd rather a lower mortgage payment and spend the extra on holidays and gin.

We have friends and family in other parts of south Manchester and Cheshire, hence the focus on south Manc rather than north.

Thanks in advance!

Lived in Levy for 18 years. Barlow Road. Wouldn't return there. It's too messy a d at times risky.
I love Levy now from a distance.

Look elsewhere.

Got you, thanks Wellthisisunexpected and wowfudge.

Reminds me of a conversation I had with an EA where he mentioned buildings that had something called 'peppercorn rent'. I imagined it was some cute term for a small sum of money. But no, the (extremely old) lease dictated an actual peppercorn to be delivered to the freeholder annually.

Wilmslow?
Knutsford?
Much much nicer and great links

Can't help on the area but as a 'northerner' we looked at lots of older properties that were listed as leasehold on Rightmove then turned out to be 'peppercorn lease'. it seems very common here

You can't buy a house for 300k in Wilmslow or Knutsford. Also they're both a bit far away. If the OP likes the vibe of Levy, they won't want to live in Cheshire.

OP Monton is a fabulous area. Great restaurants, schools, nice green spaces and houses that aren't too expensive. There's a few nice places on Hawthorne Ave and some more dotted around the streets off Monton Road. As previously mentioned there's a tram in Eccles and you can a avoid the traffic by popping Waze on.

If you're considering Monton, do look up the road at the Claremont or Irlams o't' Height area. There are some incredible large properties for a decent price there.

You'd easily get a 3 bed house with off street parking in Heaton Chapel for £300-350k. Much nicer area than Levy and easy access to the station.

You can afford Disbury! Catterick road, 4 bed, £335k, drive.

And yes leasehold doesn't mean bad always so don't rule out. In fact I think most older properties have the peppercorn ground rent.

I live down the road from Levy in Stockport. I would never ever ever live in Levenshulme. It's a big ugly mess of a place. It's loud, dirty and dangerous. My girlfriend lives on Barlow road and a few weeks ago there was a naked man running up and down her street shouting. Also a few months ago a man holding a massive knife smashing up a car while children were all coming out of schools.
I would strongly recommend looking elsewhere. There are loads of nicer and still cheap areas in south Manchester. (Sorry to be blunt!)
Also I've just seen you're also a gay couple. Just walking through the streets we've had a lot of homophobic remarks and horrid stares. This has never happened to me anywhere else in Manchester. Something to consider if you're looking for a nice community feel.

Thanks again everyone. I've had a closer look at the peppercorn ground rent/lease thing and I agree; it's quite common and needn't be a problem (obviously lease terms vary and I'll be checking what's what once we actually see some paperwork).

NewBalls I grew up in Knutsford, it is a lovely area. However, because I grew up there I don't want to live there as an adult. Too many teenage memories of embarrassing myself in the Dun Cow!

Thanks Lanaa and Tizzle, I'm going to look in Monton and Heaton Chapel. I've been for a scout round Monton and it is really nice. Its only downside is that it's furthest away from Piccadilly and Stockport stations, at least compared to Didsbury or the Heatons. But it's not that far and I think it's a workable compromise.

That sounds alarming, Qcumber. Homophobic abuse isn't what we're signing up for here. (Although I guess you can get that anywhere; I was beaten up on Canal Street once.) Don't worry, blunt is good.

I do think Levy is slipping down my list, given everything. I'm seeing a couple of houses there this week so we'll see what's what.

Don't forget that even with freehold, the original builder/ land owner may have put caveats on the property (called covenants) such as with ours, we can't brick up our front door and use the backdoor as the front. Most leasehold properties of the same era (our house is late Victorian) have very similar leases, with the addition of a small ground rent and a requirement to get leaseholders permission for extensions (which is rarely sought and rarely refused).

Good luck with your search.

Have a walk round the rushford park conservation area and stick your head into station hop while you're in levy. Just to try and balance out the negative stuff.

Would you consider firswood/Stretford? Seen someone suggested Stretford above... walkable to Chorlton. Nice big 30s semis. We're south Chorlton and the Darley Avenue and Nell Lane end is a bit rougher but with some better value properties to reflect that.

Just want to close off this thread and reiterate my thanks to everyone who contributed. All suggestions and comments were very useful and it's genuinely helped us shape our search. We have a shortlist of areas now and are looking. We haven't seen anything we like yet but I think it's only a matter of time.

Thanks again.

As someone who currently lives in Levenshulme, I’d just like to say I love living here! There’s an amazing community spirit, with loads going on and lots of really lovely people. If you are planning on having kids, there’s tonnes of baby/toddler groups and a really lovely community of people with young families. My chorlton friends are jealous of our community here and the support we have. There’s lots of people investing in the area and in the 10 years I have chosen to live here it just gets better and better. I couldn’t recommend it more.

THese posts made me LOL. Some brutal views. I grew up in Levenshulme but was schooled in Chorlton & Stockport so can't speak for the schools locally. I'm back now (from the Big smoke) living in my family home here. It's changed, and has become an area for artisans, entrepreneurs & young families who if I'm honprobably can't afford Chorlton.If you are lucky enough to bag an Edwardian semi with ridiculously high ceiling and 2 dining rooms in one of the quiet cul de sac's off Errwood Rd, do it as not many come on to the market these days and are being snapped up in a matter of days!!