Manchester – 380k budget for a 3-bed – where to buy?

[Delara]

Hi all!

Wondering what the best areas may be in Manchester for my needs. For me it's important that it feels safe, is near to a decent high street or in walking distance of one, is fairly clean and has good transport links to town and south Manchester. Would be nice if there was a good sense of community and things going on locally. Budget 380k

Love the look of the Heatons but my budget may not go very far there for a 3-bed. Also looking at Burnage, Old Trafford, Stretford.
Keep hearing mixed opinions on Levenshulme and seems like some areas of it are better than others.

Would love a period semi but that may not be possible, terraced may be ok but find that rows of terraces aren't as clean.

Don't mind a place that is habitable but needs some work if that helps us buy in a nicer area!

I know this has been asked a lot but couldn't find recent threads and I know prices have gone mad and I can't quite keep up with areas and prices changing...it also seems like some areas houses are going way over asking so it's hard to tell what actually would fit in budget.

Didsbury might fit the bill but property is expensive. You might find a renovation or terrace within your budget.
Urmston and Davyhulme are nice but there can be problems with smells from a treatment works especially in Summer.
Levenshulme is popular with students.

Yes can't afford Didsbury :( I've seen some houses around my budget but it looks like they're in the area that flooded earlier this year.
Heard that about Urmston, I'm quite sensitive to smell so not sure I'd risk it!

I didn't realise Levenshulme had lots of students! Isn't it pretty far from the unis?

Prestwich

Have a look around clayton and Droylsden, the council tax is one of the lowest you can get as long as you don't go over to tameside council areas.
It has excellent tram and bus services to Manchester City centre and Ashton Town centre.
Easy to get to Heaton Park, daisynook, co-op and etihad ground / concert venue but beware the traffic can be really bad just before and after football matches.

They are all under your budget ( because I misremembered what you said )
But it will give you a idea of what you can get for your £s in that area even if you don't like the houses themselves.

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/162900851?utm_campaign=property-details&utm_content=buying&utm_medium=sharing&utm_source=copytoclipboard#/&channel=RES_BUY

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/164106077?utm_campaign=property-details&utm_content=buying&utm_medium=sharing&utm_source=copytoclipboard#/&channel=RES_BUY

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/166861106?utm_campaign=property-details&utm_content=buying&utm_medium=sharing&utm_source=copytoclipboard#/&channel=RES_BUY

Thank you, transport links to south Manchester don't look great though and that's where all our friends are :(
Does droylsden have a nice high street or would it mean going into town?

Depending on whereabouts in South Manchester you want to go it is easy.
I regularly get the tram to the centre of cholton , it takes about 30 /40 mins with one change at Deansgate, the trams run every 12/15 minutes.
Or you can get a bus to Picadilly Gardens ( every 15 mins or more frequently depends on where you get them from ) change to the 85 or 86 bus , that takes about a hr in total to the center of cholton .
Or from Picadilly there are loads of buses to didsbury and just about everywhere else or trams to Sale and surrounding areas.

Tram tickets are around £4.50/£5 per adult for a day saver ( use the tram anywhere you like as often as you like all day. Bus tickes are about cost with the same with the same freedom .
( can you tell I use public transport a lot 😄)

Droylsden a reasonable shopping area but it is limited, b&m, Iceland, quality save , Greg's, a very small boots, post office ( all in the same place ) tesco a 3 min walk away and Aldi another Iceland and quality save a very short drive / 3 bus stops away.
The centre of Droylsden has a couple of traditional pubs and a few new bars .
Unfortunately there aren't ( as far as I am aware) anywhere I'd class as somewhere to go out for a meal , but Manchester Town centre obviously has loads of choice and is only a 15 min tram ride away.

Whalley Range/Firswood perhaps?

Thank you, that's not as long as I was thinking it would be! I don't currently live on a tram line so forget how quick they are.

Keeping an eye on these, feel a bit priced out of Whalley range but it looks like the occasional house needing work come up. Would love to live in the conservation area but they're almost all grand old houses!

Any of the Heatons?
Heaton Moor may be out of budget but Heaton Chapel?

Edited to say I reread OP and saw you'd mentioned the Heatons. Are Heaton Norris or Mersey an option?

I'm having a look at houses on mersey, don't think I could afford a three bed there. There are a few in Heaton chapel. Do you know much about Heaton norris? I've heard it's the least nice of the Heatons but I currently live in a not great area so I figure it can't be worse!

It's been years since I lived in Heaton Moor/,Chapel. From memory, Mersey was better than Norris, Chapel ok and Moor best. But even so, they were better than Levenshulme and Longsight.

Not much help, sorry!

Hi, I live in south Manchester and look at right move every day. You can afford Didsbury, there are loads of houses like this:
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/162963473#/?channel=RES_BUY
This area is really lovely, this is the house I would go for if I was you and way under budget.
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/164906510#/?channel=RES_BUY

or withington is 10 mins walk to east or west didsbury, again loads of 3 bed semis like this it’s a nice area:
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/166720493#/?channel=RES_BUY

if you want an ex council 3 bed semi there are loads in didsbury, look in the triangle between Fog Lane and the high st.
DM me is you want any more info.

Have a look at Irlams o' th' Height. I used to live there and it's lovely. Maybe not as close to decent shops as you'd like, but it's quiet, inexpensive, has a good park and some very nice period houses.