First Time Buyer seeking property in South Manchester - help!

HannahTheHopeful

Hi all,

Looking for some advice as I'm honestly starting to feel totally lost and deflated with trying to work things out myself!

I'm a single person who starts a new job in Cheadle Hulme in September, and am ideally looking to purchase my first home. I have £18k saved and am mortgageable for £120k - my mum and dad have said that they will help me out a little bit, but I don't know by how much and wouldn't like to expect much from them. I was hoping to buy a house that I've seen in Reddish that was on at £135k, however I took my parents to view it on Sunday and they have come out with a huge list of negatives and say that they are "very uneasy" about the idea of me buying it - I'm a 28 year old woman but if my parents feel like that it makes me feel like I shouldn't go ahead, given that I know nothing about property and they obviously know more than me! They did give some fairly good reasons but I felt like this was my only hope really. Thing is I'm from Stoke-on-Trent originally, and of course you can buy so much more for your money around there than you can in South Manchester, they just can't seem to get their heads around the difference and I think their hopes for what I'll be able to buy are much too high.

I haven't lived in Manchester long (2 years), and still don't really know the areas all that well. At the moment I live in Ellesmere Park (near Salford Royal hospital), and before that I lived in Manchester City Centre, but because of where my job is I want to move south, but still want to be able to get back from a night in Manchester without it costing about £80 for a taxi home! (I feel like all this might make me sound really silly, but these things are on my mind as the friends that I do have up here are generally city centre and north because my current job is in Salford, nearly Bolton). I feel like the areas that I know are 'nice' that I've been looking in are more than my budget will allow (Reddish, Heaton Moor, Heaton Chapel, Heaton Mersey, Cheadle Heath, Cheadle, Chorlton etc) but I don't know which areas are more affordable but still 'nice' and not a nightmare to get to and from Manchester City Centre. I'm wondering if anyone can offer me any guidance on similar areas that would be safe, fairly nice but a little more affordable? Or am I realistically best not buying at the moment and renting again? I would like a 2 bed property, I don't mind if it's a house or a flat, but something which isn't going to need structural work doing to it that I can't manage / afford.

I think I've previously read that Heaton Norris and Levenshulme are 'a bit rough' - am I right in thinking this or is this off the mark? Are there any other areas that I should consider looking in? I'd massively appreciate any advice that anyone can offer me right now as I'm feeling totally lost with it all, and it's getting me down!

Huge thanks in advance
Hannah

ACG

Draw up a list of areas you can afford and go to visit them at a few different times/days.

I was brought up in Burnage which has a bit of a reputation but nothing too bad. I went to view a house in Cheadle Heath 6 years ago and the street was like something out of Shameless when I got there. I lived 2-3 miles away and I did know the area that well. So you could do with investing a bit of time rather than just buying for the sake of it.

With your budget, you are going to struggle but a few places that might be ok and within budget:
Handforth - not great for getting to/from town after a night out. I used to get the 42 to Parrs Wood and a taxi from there. We lived in the council estate side of Handforth and never had any problems.
Edgeley - I think there are nice and not so nice sides of Edgeley, but I think it will be a good investment.
Reddish - Again, I think there are good and bad parts of Reddish.

Funnily enough, I now life on the Cheadle Hulme/Bramhall border and there are more houses being burgled/cars stolen around where I live now than there ever was in Burnage/Handforth. My house where I live now is 2-3 times the price. So what a house looks like and the area it is in has no baring on its safety.

I found that going on rightmove and drawing a search area quite useful. You can draw out exactly where you would live, and then set the pricing to see what is available.

Dont rush in to anything, I have seen posts on here where people have moved and regretted it and are then stuck for a couple of years.

Also, speak to your parents. Ask them what they are expecting you get and if it is unreasonable, tell them. Ultimately, it is your life. The decision as to where you live is yours. Take their views in to account but do not let it be the deciding factor.

MissMarble

Hello!

I live in Manchester (27 year old female) and we are just in the process of buying our first home.

We LOVED Cheadle Hulme but realised we simply couldn't afford it and were getting far less property for our money. Having visited Urmston, Prestwich, Trafford, Cheadle Hulme, Macclesfield & Heaton Chapel we realised we were getting priced out completely in the areas which was quite scary. We didn't look in areas like Droylsden or Oldham way so couldn't comment on those areas.

Then we found Edgeley - it once had a bit of a reputation, but having seen lots of FTBers moving into the area (on forums and social media) I think it's a good place to buy for a first home. It's close to Stockport, walking distance to the station with a 15 min train into Manchester AND it's near to Cheadle Hulme (5 min taxi/drive).

There seems to be quite a lot of small terraces which would suit your budget and requirements. I'd suggest having a walk around the area. The main street of the area (Castle Street) is a bit stuck in the past and has a lot of pubs, cheap shops and such like - however if you're looking for cafes/restaurants the old town in Stockport is lovely. There's also some other nice areas of Stockport (Davenport, Marple etc.) but I think these are very desirable with families.

The area is directly on the flight path but that's to be expected in south Manchester/Stockport way - I was a bit hesitant about this but then realised the flights going over Cheadle are much lower.

I'm also with you on parents and understanding the house prices, my dad had a tough time trying to work out that £250,000 could only buy a two bed terrace on a busy road in Manchester as that can buy a huge, detached house with garden and driveway back home! But I think if they have a look themselves or go with you on a couple of viewings they will be able to see for themselves.

I'd suggest doing a bit of research online, looking on social media and seeing areas tagged to give you a snippet of the life there, going for a walk and visiting the places as well as talking to residents. Also make a list of what is most important to you, if it's transport links, look for somewhere on the train/metro line or if it's shops/pubs etc. in an expensive area, look at an apartment instead.

If you need any extra help or just want to chat things through, feel free to PM me - I'd be happy to help a fellow FTBer Good luck!

Jemima09

I lived in Reddish for about 8 years, I moved away about 3 years ago.. as with all places there was good and bad bits but overall it was quite a nice place to be. I bought there as I was working in Cheadle at the time

agrinnall

What sort of things were in the list of bad points that your parents came up with? They may easily just be things that every first time buyer faces and perhaps shouldn't put you off.

HannahTheHopeful

ACG wrote: »

Draw up a list of areas you can afford and go to visit them at a few different times/days.

I was brought up in Burnage which has a bit of a reputation but nothing too bad. I went to view a house in Cheadle Heath 6 years ago and the street was like something out of Shameless when I got there. I lived 2-3 miles away and I did know the area that well. So you could do with investing a bit of time rather than just buying for the sake of it.

With your budget, you are going to struggle but a few places that might be ok and within budget:
Handforth - not great for getting to/from town after a night out. I used to get the 42 to Parrs Wood and a taxi from there. We lived in the council estate side of Handforth and never had any problems.
Edgeley - I think there are nice and not so nice sides of Edgeley, but I think it will be a good investment.
Reddish - Again, I think there are good and bad parts of Reddish.

Funnily enough, I now life on the Cheadle Hulme/Bramhall border and there are more houses being burgled/cars stolen around where I live now than there ever was in Burnage/Handforth. My house where I live now is 2-3 times the price. So what a house looks like and the area it is in has no baring on its safety.

I found that going on rightmove and drawing a search area quite useful. You can draw out exactly where you would live, and then set the pricing to see what is available.

Dont rush in to anything, I have seen posts on here where people have moved and regretted it and are then stuck for a couple of years.

Also, speak to your parents. Ask them what they are expecting you get and if it is unreasonable, tell them. Ultimately, it is your life. The decision as to where you live is yours. Take their views in to account but do not let it be the deciding factor.

Thanks so much for this I looked into Edgeley last night and think it may be a possibility. It's just if the right thing comes up. I may end up renting for another 6-12 months before I buy, it just feels so frustrating when you know that you are essentially throwing money away by renting! I also worry that if I wait, property will be even more expensive! It's a tough call!

HannahTheHopeful

MissMarble wrote: »

Hello!

I live in Manchester (27 year old female) and we are just in the process of buying our first home.

We LOVED Cheadle Hulme but realised we simply couldn't afford it and were getting far less property for our money. Having visited Urmston, Prestwich, Trafford, Cheadle Hulme, Macclesfield & Heaton Chapel we realised we were getting priced out completely in the areas which was quite scary. We didn't look in areas like Droylsden or Oldham way so couldn't comment on those areas.

Then we found Edgeley - it once had a bit of a reputation, but having seen lots of FTBers moving into the area (on forums and social media) I think it's a good place to buy for a first home. It's close to Stockport, walking distance to the station with a 15 min train into Manchester AND it's near to Cheadle Hulme (5 min taxi/drive).

There seems to be quite a lot of small terraces which would suit your budget and requirements. I'd suggest having a walk around the area. The main street of the area (Castle Street) is a bit stuck in the past and has a lot of pubs, cheap shops and such like - however if you're looking for cafes/restaurants the old town in Stockport is lovely. There's also some other nice areas of Stockport (Davenport, Marple etc.) but I think these are very desirable with families.

The area is directly on the flight path but that's to be expected in south Manchester/Stockport way - I was a bit hesitant about this but then realised the flights going over Cheadle are much lower.

I'm also with you on parents and understanding the house prices, my dad had a tough time trying to work out that £250,000 could only buy a two bed terrace on a busy road in Manchester as that can buy a huge, detached house with garden and driveway back home! But I think if they have a look themselves or go with you on a couple of viewings they will be able to see for themselves.

I'd suggest doing a bit of research online, looking on social media and seeing areas tagged to give you a snippet of the life there, going for a walk and visiting the places as well as talking to residents. Also make a list of what is most important to you, if it's transport links, look for somewhere on the train/metro line or if it's shops/pubs etc. in an expensive area, look at an apartment instead.

If you need any extra help or just want to chat things through, feel free to PM me - I'd be happy to help a fellow FTBer Good luck!

Thanks so much for your reply, really helpful! Yes I started to look into Edgeley last night, it seems I've just missed out on a couple of possibilities but hopefully that means there are more coming up! I'll definitely drop you a PM as my search progresses if you don't mind It all feels like a bit of a minefield and such a big decision to make on your own! Have you bought your first home now then?

HannahTheHopeful

agrinnall wrote: »

What sort of things were in the list of bad points that your parents came up with? They may easily just be things that every first time buyer faces and perhaps shouldn't put you off.

Hi, thank you for your reply!

So a couple of them I thought were fair and were things I hadn't actually thought of myself. One being that they are building 6 new-build mews houses on the back of the would-be-home I was looking at, and they literally backed onto this house. My parents said that they would likely block out the light, overlook my house and potentially bring down its value as well as my comfort and privacy. I did think this was a fair observation tbh. The current owner also has a CCTV system set up and a series of bolts and padlocks on the back gate, for security for his motorbike - the CCTV not only looked at the back of the house but also the front etc. My parents felt uneasy about this as they felt that this seemed a bit OTT for the security of just a motorbike and wondered if they'd had issues with security in the past. I'm not sure where I sit with that one myself. Then they said the kitchen needs ripping out and replacing, and because the boiler is 15 years old it will also likely need replacing soon, but I feel like these aren't necessarily big costs and are possibly to be expected? Decorating was also mentioned but that is pretty much ALWAYS going to be a thing!

I know they are looking out for me and don't want me to rush into buying somewhere and potentially not feel happy or lose money on it, but equally I do feel that they're aiming too high. I'm starting to wonder if I should even buy at all or if I should just keep renting until I'm settled into my new job and know I like it there - I just worry that house prices might go up even more, and renting feels like such a waste of time and money!

HannahTheHopeful

Thanks so much for your advice, really insightful and helpful! I'm starting to wonder if I should even buy at all or I should just keep renting? But then I worry that the house prices are just going to up even more potentially! There doesn't seem to be much difference in price in some of the areas you've mentioned, Gatley seems to actually be even more expensive! I need to make a decision on whether to stay in my current rental or move out of it this week, so I feel like the pressure is on!

MissMarble

HannahTheHopeful wrote: »

Thanks so much for your reply, really helpful! Yes I started to look into Edgeley last night, it seems I've just missed out on a couple of possibilities but hopefully that means there are more coming up! I'll definitely drop you a PM as my search progresses if you don't mind It all feels like a bit of a minefield and such a big decision to make on your own! Have you bought your first home now then?

We are in the process of buying it at the moment There have been some pretty nice houses up on the market in Edgeley recently and they seem to go within a few weeks. I have noticed at the viewings we've been to the majority of people we have seen have been FTBers between 20s & 30s. Have you visited the area? If you have a walk around before viewing a house that will help so you'll be able to see whereabouts on the map it is. It is a minefield and one which will make you feel helpless and hopeless - but it's somehow all part of the journey! How many houses have you viewed so far and have you been looking for long?

Smevchenko

https://www.inspiredhomes.uk.com/our-homes/inspired-cheshire/

There are some new flats that will be available at the end of the year. They start at £132k, so may be a possibility for you. They are very small though. If you know Chealde Hulme at all, they are located at the back of the precinct, about a 2 min walk from the train station, so obviously will be on your doorstep for work, and easy to get home from town.

I grew up in Cheadle Hulme, love the area, one day i might get back there!