Neighborhoods in Manchester. Where should we look?

I hope you get the job! Keeping my fingers crossed for you. I just got my marriage visa and will be moving to Altrincham next week. I did spend 5 months there with my husband before we were married and I really like it. It's a great place and with the train, it's really easy to get into Manchester. I would love to get together with all of you in the area sometime.
 

Some info on my side of Manchester.  Salford in particular is currently undergoing a lot of urban renewal, so lots of new apartments going up that are not too expensive based on two people holding down jobs (600 hundred a month would get you a pretty trendy two bed apartment in a nice development close to Manchester city centre.   Salford is a fine city with tons of history and borders central Manchester so it is very easy to commute in and out. 

However, be aware that Salford is in the early stages of urban renewal and can be a dangerous city to live in.  The crime rate is high and a lot of the new developments are in inner city areas where one must be alert.  Myself and my USC wife lived in Salford in 06 though and she loved every bit of it.  We would walk past churches that I had seen a thousand times and never even looked at, only for her to discover they were 8 and 900 years old.  So, it has it's problems but I wouldn't let that put you off.  It is still much cheaper to rent there than in South Manchester.  Choice areas (South Manc) are definitely Chorlton, Withington, Fallowfield etc, but very expensive and at risk of crime.  The reason being that a lot of these areas are very studenty and students are seen as easy rich pickings to the criminal fraternity.  Moss Side and Lonsight are very close by and they have a bad reputation for gangs and guns that are a lot more like American style gangs than in other parts of the city - google The Gooch. Doddington, Longsight Crew and Pit Bull Crew to get a better idea;

I would not even venture into areas like Cheetham Hill.  Whalley Range, though again a very studenty area, are is far too close to 'the moss'.  As is Hume, though Hulme is redeveloping fast.  Still, the general concensus in these areas is that urban renewal ends when the sun goes down so be aware.

At the end of the day all areas have their problems and you can avoid them by being sensible and aware that you are in a big city with a large population.  I personally love Manchester and love Salford more.  If you can afford to live on Salford Quays go for that.  Or, further out Worsley is gorgeous (along with Monton) and much quieter crime wise.  These areas have a good mixed population of 'locals' and post grad professionals and the atmosphere is great.  We lived in an area called Ellesmere Park which is in Salford but not quite central and so, again, a lot quieter.

Wherever you decide, Manchester or Salford, you are going to love it and have a great time.  If you google flats in Salford and North manchester - feel free to PM me and I will tell exactly what the areas are like.  Good luck and hope you make it over soon

i personally recommend the south manchester towns where i have lived for way too long!(like all my life )
Ala, Poynton, bramhall, disley, cheadle hulme. you can get a small village feel but only 30 mins (by car) from the city centre ( you may pay a premium for this, have a look on right move) for the 28 years I lived in poynton I have never experienced a crime against me! then when i moved just two miles up the road i have had three in 2 years all though none of them serious but it just shows that a mile or two in England can make all the difference. If you like the quiet life try to get at least 10 miles from the city centre, there you will get the best of both worlds , near to the city but only a few minutes from the peak district which can melt all your work problems away .
There are people on UKY who have not enjoyed the UK experience, some of this may be down to the areas they ended up living in, you have the advantage of being able to choose where you live, so the experience of fellow UKY'ers may prove invaluable.

All I can say is that Manchester is a city that has always had a certain buzz about it and for quite some time has had an up and comming vibe, it is an excellent city to live around and for a country bumpkin even I can see the positives.
Happy hunting

I'm in Didsbury and I've personally experience crime- it's what comes with living in a big city.  Bramhall is GORGEOUS but who the hell can afford to live there??  I'd love to but jeesh property is expensive there.  Poynton is very pretty- lucky you living there!

Like I said just ask someone here, I wouldn't have thought that Salford was dangerous.  I've only ever been to the Salford Quays area and it's very nice.  A lot of trendy flats, right on the canal, the Lowry...

I live in Failsworth Manchester ( on the north side and borders oldham) and love it, it is a working class, middle class area, as said before avoid Mosside, Hulme, Cheetham Hill. I am Manc born and bred and have lived in all the poorer areas growing up, and while being a student.
lol

The places already mentioned are great places to start looking.

Thanks, everyone! Great suggestions!  I will post again as we really start looking.  Need the job first! 

Like I said just ask someone here, I wouldn't have thought that Salford was dangerous.  I've only ever been to the Salford Quays area and it's very nice.  A lot of trendy flats, right on the canal, the Lowry...

He he - Salford Quays is fine if you can afford it.  I am sure that very few people from salford live there to be honest.  It is really nice though, no debate there.  Non the less it is smack in the middle of one of the city's highest crime areas and many bad things happen across the road on the Ordsall Estate.  A perfect example of another posters opinion that a mile can mean so much in terms of where you live in the UK.  In this case a few yards can be the difference between an idyllic waterside existence and not being able to walk outdoors at night.  Still, I love Salford and Manchester, warts and all as they say, and would recomend the two cities to anybody