Moving from London to Manchester Area

[Wallaceada]

My wife and I are looking to relocate from SW London to the Manchester area/Cheshire shortly which we are excited about. Priorities are:

1. Having a community feel town/high street nearby. ie would like to be near some cafes, bars, restaurants, cinema, exercise classes etc but obviously would be happy to drive a short distance to some of these things.

1. Easy ish to commute into Manchester and can get train to London (happy to commute up to 45 mins/drive to a train station to commute)

1. Garden, parks and outdoor space for kids

1. Good primary schools

We ideally need a 3/4 bed for approx £800k. From research looks like this should be do-able.

I would like to hear opinions on what areas would best suit our needs and interests as a couple hoping to start a family soon?

We don't know the areas that well so would value some local advice.

Thanks very much.

I really like Sale, it's definitely not a dump! Stanley Square is great now, there are lovely restaurants and cafes. Including a recently opened Gail's if you want proof it's gentrified😆. The canal and parks are lovely and Sale and Chorlton waterparks on your doorstep. Plus Wareside arts centre and a lovely new independent cinema is opening on 12th Feb! Northern Light cinema.

Loads options but I'd say Hale / Bowdon prob too expensive. Do you want a grammar area. Will you go private schools. How often will you go into city ?

I agree. Brunch at Jackalope or Blanchflower is our weekend treat, then the free bookshop 🫶

Didsbury would work well for you

The only problem with Didsbury is that everyone and their cat/dog wants to live there; the demand is insane. I know several couples either side of @Wallaceada ‘s budget who’ve been on the Dids property hamster wheel and have lost out multiple times. All of them had pre-approved mortgages, hefty deposits and none were in a chain. The stress and delays caused one couple to split- she wouldn’t look at anywhere else in Manchester (or SoMa) and he didn’t couldn’t cope with being in property limbo any longer. Sad. Other really nice neighbourhoods are available.

@RainbowsAreNotTheOnlyFruit i know what you are saying but it’s popular for a reason. And £800k is a good budget.

Marple / Marple Bridge would be worth considering too, train into Manchester and a short drive to Stockport for the London train. It's got more of a semi-rural feel to it than other parts of suburbia as it's right on the edge of the peak district and you can see the hills around.

Didsbury or Chorlton. Both very close to city centre, both have a village vibe. Both very trendy!

@RainbowsAreNotTheOnlyFruit didn't realise it was that bad! I don't know but suspect certain types of property are particularly in demand and I think relatively short supply of 4 bed (plus).
Lots want 3 bed plus office space etc

@hotfirelog unfortunately, yes. The upside is that there’s been greater interest in Didsbury adjacent areas like Withington, Northenden & Burnage (pronounced Burn-idj not Bun-aahj btw😉). Obviously they don’t have the vibe or social cachet of East or West ‘Dids’ which is why the area is such a honeypot for lots of people.

Low crime, upcoming town centre and the new cinema is opening Nothern light. Gail's and list of decent restaurants.

I was in Didbury last week and there is crime.

All Trafford schools all good and the catchment grammar has raised standards generally

I'd join the local community groups on FB . You definitely get a feel of the area

Isn't it great when OP doesn't respond lol

Didsbury! Everyone from down south moves there. Or Chorlton. Both lovely areas btw and far out of the mortgage reach of most Mancs, so prepare to be mocked in a (kinda) friendly way. 😄

Thank you everyone for all the recommendations! We've definitely got lots of researching to do. Think we'll plan weekend trips up to all of these to give them a recce

BTW. Can I just add watch out for the train strikes. I know they were across the UK, but also look at how long it takes to commute by car to where you'll work, double it, then pay £20+ per day for parking - cos in the words of Monty Python... "it'll 'appen again..."

I can just see our local Estate Agents rubbing their hands together now... 😂😉

Chorlton cum Hardy

I'd recommend looking into South Warrington (Cheshire) Lymm/Thelwall/Grappenhall areas too. Prices seem to be slightly lower than closer in to Manchester. Really great schools particularly in Lymm, and no grammar school system. 15-mins drive to Warrington stations which is a 20-min train to Manchester or 1 hr 45 direct to London Euston.

Lymm is only 10-15 mins drive from Altrincham. Lots of nice bars, restaurants, gym options etc in Lymm and Stockton Heath. There is a bus between Warrington and Altrincham which covers all these areas and is pretty frequent.

@RainbowsAreNotTheOnlyFruit is right .. the outer didsbury areas are grand too.. Withington (north didsbury haha) .. I love. More for money, great primaries. Same high schools. More veggie independant options.
Northenden not far behind. Similar re schools. Burnaaaaage . Well that's oasis in it. Again. Decent schools etc but edgier and parts are higher crime rates but not all
Chorlton Dito - firswood just outside etc you get a lot for money

They have an £800k budget, they don’t need to buy in Northenden 😂

@FiatMultiplaWhopper but maybe @Wallaceada doesn’t want to blow the budget and would like to keep some safety net money?
@Wallaceada hope you haven’t been put off moving by the where I live* *pick me dance going on between the MN tribes of Mancunia. Seriously, loads of lovely places to pick from & good luck choosing one.

North Didsbury 😂 that's proper tickled me that

@FiatMultiplaWhopper £800k doesn't go as far as you think in Dids if you want 4 bedrooms. And there actually is lovely housing stock in northernden . Good primaries. State high is Parrswood for Northenden same as for 1/2 of didsbury

We have ( according an estate agent)
Central Dids
West Dids - Burton Rd, Cavendish & west Dids Primary. Dids High
East dids - Broadoak area and that side of village ParrsWood High
North Did ( Withington side of Dids)
Which actually would make North Hendon, South Didsbury 🤣