[manchester50]

 Red Knight, on 22 January 2012 - 01:27 PM, said:

Knutsford?

I think it's probably wise to stay within a reasonable walking distance of a train (or tram) station. Not just for commuting but for 'future proofing'. One doesn't know just yet how the oil price/car thing will play out.

Being a car journey away from train stations and also other public amenties such as supermarkets, healthcare etc etc might not look such a good bet in a few years. Of course we may transition to electric or hydrogen or other vehicles without skipping a beat in which case it won't matter, but buying any time in the foreseable that would be high on my list of priorities just in case.

This 'risk' is very noticeable (to me) when I visit friends who don't have these facilities on their door step. It doesn't seem to occur to them that they may not always have or be able to afford to run a car as cheaply as now when it takes them 20 minutes to reach a supermarket or 10 minutes drive to the nearest train station. I wonder how they would cope if circumstances changed and who might buy their (expensive) houses off them.

Ah you're talking after that horse has bolted here! I live in a rural area east of Knutsford, utterly reliant on cars. Sold in Manchester a year ago and renting now. We don't stretch ourselves so it would take petrol prices to treble or more to really hurt. Knutsford is ok but that's a poor train line and you have the plane noise.
I know the areas South of Timp, East to Disley, West to Lymm, South to Holmes Chapel all pretty well - know the areas we'd like but are constrained/reluctant to buy due to lack of supply/choice and anticipated price drops.

[Guest_ringledman_*]

Thanks for all the info.

Am widening my search area. Convinced the misses to head further south into Cheshire.

Am sick of living in chavsville city centre, or just off it.

So perhaps, Bramhall, Wilmslow, Cheadle, Hale, Altrincham, etc. Just depends what one can get for the budget.

Which parts of Cheadle and Cheadle Hulme are decent and which are to be avoided? What is it like as a place to live?

Likewise what about Bramhall as an area? Seems to be a few links on the web about it being full of Chavs (all back in 2005). Didn't get that impression from the first visit.

Also what is Handforth like?

I personlly just want the quietest place possible, work in Warrington so South Manchester suburbs suit me fine. Misses wants to be close to shops, dance classes, etc.

Had a look around Wilmslow and some decentish place around the £260-£270 mark but generally a bit smaller 2/3 bed terraces rather than the larger 3 bed semis of Sale.

How much would we say nominal prices are down from the peak in South Manchester suburbs? 15% or so?

An agent I spoke to said that the £250k-£300k 3 bed bracket is the most competitive for buyers so prices generally sell close to the asking price.

This post has been edited by ringledman: 22 January 2012 - 09:33 PM

[manchester50]

I don't know Cheadle, Cheadle Hulme or Bramhall well enough to recommend specific areas, but I'd say Bramhall seems fine overall. You get get reports of bad behaviour/teens hanging round causing trouble/gangs in parks etc in every area so I wouldn't put too much credence on what you've read about Bramhall - it's a good area.

I'm not a huge fan of Handforth - an empty suburb to Wilmslow from my perspective - redeeming features are lower prices and a train stn. At that distance Poynton is also ok, but would be a nightmare for Warrington. Despite the 'glam' reputation, Wilmslow centre is slightly similar to Sale's! i.e. a bland 60s arcade, although it does have very smart resisential areas, good train links, restaurants, schools etc.

Alty would be a good Trafford/Warrington travel compromise; Cheadle/Bramhall probably not that bad.

[SeeYouNextTuesday]

 ringledman, on 22 January 2012 - 06:54 PM, said:

Thanks for all the info.

Am widening my search area. Convinced the misses to head further south into Cheshire.

Am sick of living in chavsville city centre, or just off it.

So perhaps, Bramhall, Wilmslow, Cheadle, Hale, Altrincham, etc. Just depends what one can get for the budget.

Which parts of Cheadle and Cheadle Hulme are decent and which are to be avoided? What is it like as a place to live?

Likewise what about Bramhall as an area? Seems to be a few links on the web about it being full of Chavs (all back in 2005). Didn't get that impression from the first visit.

Also what is Handforth like?

I personlly just want the quietest place possible, work in Warrington so South Manchester suburbs suit me fine. Misses wants to be close to shops, dance classes, etc.

Had a look around Wilmslow and some decentish place around the £260-£270 mark but generally a bit smaller 2/3 bed terraces rather than the larger 3 bed semis of Sale.

How much would we say nominal prices are down from the peak in South Manchester suburbs? 15% or so?

An agent I spoke to said that the £250k-£300k 3 bed bracket is the most competitive for buyers so prices generally sell close to the asking price.

Don't let us put you off certain places if they meet your personal requirements/expectations.

I always found the city centre ideal for commuting to Warrington and latterly, S. Mcr is still reasonable for my commute but I am reluctant to stray any further east and need to use the M60. I made the move from Hulme 2 years ago for probably similar reasons you are looking to move. Despite the outstanding OFSTED rating of the local infant school, I didn't really want my toddler to be 'enjoying' such a 'multi-cultural' schooling so a move to middle class suburbia made a lot of sense. But some people are never happy, especially here that is home to the chattering classes. The perfectly decent, very local school is still not good enough for some parents and they would rather travel across town every day for 7 years. Anti-social behaviour doesn't just drink cider in bus shelters, its everywhere.

[SeeYouNextTuesday]

This is no more than an idle observation that may be of use to to RLM but I've only been to work 10 times since the new year but I've been held up on the A56 approach to the Bowdon roundabout 3 times by traffic queueing to join the M56 E'bound and another 3 times on the M6 on the short stretch between the M56 and Woolston. I'm not sure if I've just been unlucky or there is a new trend in heavy traffic along this route but its adding 15-20mins+ to my journey most days now.

[I'M WITH STUPID]

Apologies to be joining the debate a bit late but this is my first visit to HPC for a while.

I live in Sale and agree with most of the comments. The ONE AND ONLY REASON to live in Sale is the schools. If you have or are planning to have kids then Sale offers an entry level to the South Trafford suburban dream of leafy suburbs, nice families, good transport links and of course excellent schools. If you don't have or plan to start a family there are more fashinable places to live, although Altrincham, Timperley and Cheadle wouldn't be the top of my list either.

FOR :
Great Schools
Good choice of affordable family homes
Good Transport Links (Tram, M60)
Decent shopping and Leisure Facilities

AGAINST
Metroland suburbia, street after street of 3 bed 1930s semis
Rough neighboring areas - Northern Moor, Stretford
Kids - yep they're everywhere

[manchester50]

Feels very odd writing this as I never expected to be considering Sale....but despite being reasonably familar with the area when passing through (& briefly living on Wardle road) I'm not too clued up on which residential areas are better or worse.

One of our options is South Manchester and I'd been considering Altrincham/Hale/Bowdon, Cheadle Hulme, Bramhall etc. I haven't seen much that appeals in Cheadle Hulme/Bramhall except for on Bramhall Lane South - not keen as I don't want to be on a road that busy with young kids. Most of north Alty doesn't appeal, round Oldfield road is overpriced for some reason, I'd need an extra few hundred grand for the house/garden I'd want in Hale/Bowdon, so all of that has made me look at Sale with a fresh pair of eyes.

Basically for my money it may offer a decent mix of house/garden size, travel time into manc and decent schooling.

In terms of pros, I know some of the schools have a good reputation, I remember some very smart period residential roads and obviously a good tram time into Manchester. Counting against it is the town centre which I've always felt was a bit of a hole and always felt a little rough.

Anyone know what the area's like that's bounded by washway road to the east, the a6144 to the west and Harboro way to the south/west?

[manchester50]

Adding to this...

Brooklands - is there anything there? Beyond the tram and some decent schools, but any shops/pubs/cafes etc, or are you reliant on the few in Timp or Sale/Alty?

[monks]

 manchester50, on 18 April 2012 - 09:21 PM, said:

Adding to this...

Brooklands - is there anything there? Beyond the tram and some decent schools, but any shops/pubs/cafes etc, or are you reliant on the few in Timp or Sale/Alty?

Unless your idea of a good night is 4 pints of Stella and some fish n chips - in a word, no. But with the metro this isn't really a problem... 20 mins say into Manchester.

[manchester50]

 monks, on 18 April 2012 - 09:54 PM, said:

Unless your idea of a good night is 4 pints of Stella and some fish n chips - in a word, no. But with the metro this isn't really a problem... 20 mins say into Manchester.

Not going to turn my nose up at fish n chips! I was idly looking on RM at some of the houses on Brooklands road (good size, decent gardens) but have never been down that way beyond the washway road side of Brooklands metro. I guess if you live round there you're as likely to get the metro into Alty or town than walk up to Sale centre

[Nomadd]

 manchester50, on 18 April 2012 - 10:16 PM, said:

Not going to turn my nose up at fish n chips! I was idly looking on RM at some of the houses on Brooklands road (good size, decent gardens) but have never been down that way beyond the washway road side of Brooklands metro. I guess if you live round there you're as likely to get the metro into Alty or town than walk up to Sale centre

Had family (who have since moved to Hale) who lived just off Framingham Rd. Was great when the kids were younger for the school on Woodbourne (Primary.) I found the area actually pretty nice and quiet. When the kids grew up they went to Sale Grammar.

Also had other family members who lived on one of the big detached places on Brooklands Rd, and although the house and garden was huge, I couldn't stand the road itself. Absolute pain-in-the-ass to get off the drive and back on again (traffic always up your backside going too fast down Brooklands Rd.) Also, avoid the East side of Brooklands Rd, as you are backing onto the council estate round the back, and you miss out on school catchments (hence the big difference in prices.)

You can walk up to the top of Brooklands Rd and find a few places to eat and drink; also the pub just the other side of the traffic lights, as well the pub on the East side of Brooklands Rd just before them.

Be careful of traffic during rush hour, especially if you are heading Timperley/Alty way down Brooklands Rd - can get quite heavy towards the roundabout at the bottom.

In summary, look around Framingham Rd and the estate there; much nicer than most of Sale - as long as you don't mind the extra bit of travel to get places.

[manchester50]

Cheers. Yes was the detached houses on Brooklands road that had caught my eye for the house/garden sizes, but the road is a downside. As you say, was looking at the schools - Brooklands > Sale Grammar. I'd also seen a couple of houses on The Avenue & Ashlands - in Aston Mersey school catchment. Decent houses, gardens and schools. Just comes down to whether that outweights my pretty negative views on Sale town centre & Chester Road.

[I'M WITH STUPID]

You're not moving to Sale for the party lifestyle, if thats your priority stick to the city centre or Didsbury/Chorlton.

Sale is a stable, family orientated suburb with the odd decent pub or restaurant. The area to the northern end of Brooklands Road is an established, pleasant community, a 'golden triangle' focused around Brooklands Primary school, Sale Grammar and Dragons (LA Fitness) health club. A cosy, privileged lifestyle in which to raise a family.

This post has been edited by I'M WITH STUPID: 21 April 2012 - 03:27 PM