by P K Evans

Created on: March 10, 2009   Last Updated: March 12, 2009

City Centre living is a popular trend. Whereas it used to be all about young, single people, more and more couples and families are now residing in Manchester. Like most UK cities, apartment blocks are being constructed constantly and almost every week you will see or hear of a new development.

Firstly, you need to decide on your location. Manchester city centre itself has many different areas, and there are also other towns on the outskirts which are now becoming home to more and more apartments as opposed to houses. Parking is limited in a lot of city apartments and also comes at a cost, so if you can live without a car then it is more cost effective to do so.

There are two main ways to source information on buying apartments in Manchester. The first is through an Estate Agent. Most residential agents in Manchester will offer both rental and purchase properties. Urban Life is a free magazine published by the Guardian Media Group which details a selection of current rental and purchase properties, along with Estate Agent details. Urban Life is a free magazine but if you cannot get hold of it you can access the information at www.urban-life.co.uk. Once you have identified the most suitable agent for your needs you can contact them direct.

The second way is to buy off plan. This means contacting the various developers direct and buying an apartment prior to it being built or part completed. You will be able to view a show apartment and in some instances, an identical apartment to the one you will buy. The benefits of doing this are that the market price is a lot lower prior to the property being built, and also that you will often be able to choose from a variety of layouts and apartments as many will still be unsold. You can also negotiate deals and choose your own flooring and finishes, meaning you move into an apartment to your own spec. The drawbacks are that you could have to wait months for your apartment to be ready and you cannot foresee any flaws or differences which may appear once complete. To find details of property developers you can again consult Urban Life or Estate Agents, or by simply walking around Manchester you will see the various developments taking place. There will usually be a marketing suite you can visit for information and viewings.

When buying a property in Manchester, or any UK city, ensure you have a solicitor as you will need to survey the property. Solicitors fees are usually between 300 - 500 GBP and a lot of new build property

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