Which one- Droylsden, Stretford, or Levenshulme?

[Poppytimy]

We’re first time buyers in late 20s, no children atm, buying in Manchester. Currently renting in the centre. Considering one of these three places. They’ve all been described as ‘up and coming’. Any recommendations? Thanks

What’s the budget?

270k, could probably push to 300

Stretford apparently is very up and coming, I think they’re doing a lot to the centre/arndale. Don’t know much about the others

Stratford has been 'up and coming' for the last 20 years, still hasn't though.
Levy has been and gone, still very rough round the edges
Droylsden I don't know well enough to comment
On that budget you could get a 2bed, possibly 3 in Prestwich, Whitefield or Bury. Prestwich has been popular for a while, Whitefield increasingly so for those priced out of Prestwich, and Bury is getting more so thanks to decent transport links and a nice town centre (and great market)

I am not sure about those 3 places as ‘up and coming’ area but I could be wrong. Stockport town centre in the Underbank area is definitely up and coming area - there’s a big regeneration project going on right now. I hear that Sale is also another up and coming area. What sort of place are you looking for - house, flat, garden or no garden, transport links etc?

house- ideally, not a terrace, with a garden but doesn’t need to be huge. Ideally three bedrooms so one or both of us can work from home.

need to be able to commute to the city centre. Most of the jobs in our industry are city centre or Salford quays which is why we considered stretford. Sale looked out of budget

Bury or Whitefield is another place to consider.

Think Levy already upped and came – people who bought 10 years ago saw that crossover from ‘rough’ area to neighbourhood with a vibe and saw the ROI – wondering if the curve might have flattened a bit?

Given Stret borders Chorlton, which has just become insane now for prices and just gets posher and posher each time I go there (went back for the first time in about a year recently and there was a definite wankiness that was new), think that’s definitely where I’d be looking. (Assuming investment is a key consideration and also assuming that it’ll take a few years to go through the whole gentrification cycle and the early days are the fun bit).

Have you looked at Urmston also?

@Booboobedooo not looked in Urmston Investment is definitely a key consideration hence looking at places that might be ‘up and coming’

Stretford or Urmston

I moved out of Stretford about a year ago. Lived there for 15 years. Fabulous community, very diverse in all senses, good primary schools, close to city centre, not too suburban nor too urban. Stretford public hall has loads of great stuff and is owned by the local community. Lots of new bars and restaurants. Town centre being done up. We never had any bad stuff happen. People are lovely. Nice parks (Longford and Victoria). We loved it. Down side stupid fecking grammar school system but my kids have gone to 3 different high schools and all done well. Levenshulme is full of very wooly ex chorltonites. Baby wearing/homeschool types, and is also quite rough and fecking miles to get into town. We lived there and it was fine. I don't know droylsden sorry

Stretford house prices will be going up and up.

Of the three, stretford seems to be ‘winning’.

Bury looks quite far away so not keen on there.

its so hard to balance what’s trendy now and what will be a good investment. We looked at Droylsden because the house prices look quite cheap still (comparatively). Hard to think prices in Stretford and Levenshulme can keep going up the way they have. Same with Prestwich.

@Moonshiners did you prefer stretford over levenshulme?

stretford is great for media city but your budget wont go far there anymore. I like levy for it's cafes and stuff but it is a bit grimy. Don't know droylsden.

Lev is bloody awful place, has been allegedly up and coming for years but no one local or who knows it would agree. Droylsden is ok, cheap, get decent house for your money, good links with the tram but full of investers. Dont know much about Stretford. Lots of investment in central stockport now, Edgeley and all the way up the A6 are good so towards davenport hazelgrove but you get less for your money the further up you go. Tameside way, denton, hyde, stalybridge you get more for your money and decent links into mamchester. Dont know much aboit the other side of manchester.

@Justgivemesomepeace do you think Droylsden will improve? You get a lot of house for the cost there.

Stretford v Levy is no contest. In every which way Stretford wins.

I cant see Droylsden as up and coming to be honest.

@Justgivemesomepeace really? We’ve noticed some more ‘hipster bars’ there in the past couple of years and a few more young professionals moving there. Thought that might be the cue to get in before the prices shoot up

Another vote for considering Prestwich/ Whitefield/Bury. Never been keen on Leve despite the gentrification. I do like Stretford but could not be arsed with the selective schooling dramas. Droylsden I don't know so well but it doesn't seem to have much of a village/town centre from what I have seen, so less of a community feel.

Think about your commute as well. Commuting by bus/car into town at rush hour is a fool's errand. A 20 min off peak journey can easily stretch to an hour or more. Leve has trains, but these have a patchier service than trams. Trams in Droylsden run on the street in lots of places, so are subject to traffic.

If I wanted an investment I think I'd be considering Swinton, and in particular Radcliffe.

Stretford or whitefield.

Had another wander around at the weekend. Levenshulme is out of the running. Confused about pricing. Droylsden feels a lot cheaper than Stretford and Whitefield.

@Nw22 which parts of Whitefield do you recommend? Thanks

@Poppytimy close to the tram stop or towards ringley road

Thanks. Haha just had a look and Ringley Road is expensive!