It’s no secret that rents across the UK have risen along with house prices in recent years. Rental prices in Manchester have increased by around 20% in the last year alone, but despite this, the north is still considered a much more affordable option compared to the south.
The average rent in Manchester is currently £1,199 a month, while rent in London costs a staggering £2,119 a month on average, according to the latest data from Zoopla. And, as Leonora Lee discovered, the difference in how far your money will spread between the two regions is huge.
The 33-year-old from London decided she wanted her own place after living with her parents, but couldn’t afford to rent or buy her own in the capital. That’s when she decided to take the plunge and leave everything she knew and start her new life in Greater Manchester.
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Leonora spoke manchester evening news As part of the Where I Live series. Every week we speak to a different renter or homeowner in Greater Manchester to hear about their rental or buying journey, looking at the places they call home.
Leonora, who works as a team leader in customer service, told the man: “I was living with my parents and younger brother, but after COVID-19, I thought it was time to move. I had been putting it off for a long time. That was the case,” he said. Because London is expensive.
“At first I was saving up money to buy one, but I thought I couldn’t do it in London. Then I decided to move to Manchester, which is the closest to London in terms of city feel. , I myself have never lived alone and have no family or friends here, but I just thought, “Life is too short.”
Leonora started planning her move in early 2022, and even though she wanted to buy, she decided to rent somewhere first. “I had never lived alone before, so I thought I would try renting a place first,” she says. Post-COVID-19, the market was very crowded, but surprisingly it was a very smooth transition for me. Maybe I just got lucky, but hers were the only two properties I considered. ”
Leonora was looking for a two-bed apartment with reasonable living space. “Rental properties are very small in London, so I wanted a space that was big enough,” she said.
“I wanted two bedrooms because I wanted an extra bedroom where I could work while working from home. I also wanted two bathrooms in case friends and family came over.”
Leonora had never lived in the north before, so she relied on advice on which areas to look at. “I didn’t want to live in the middle of the city center, so my friends who live in the north and are familiar with Manchester recommended it to me,” she said. It’s a really nice area. ”
“We looked at other apartments in Rochdale, but after looking around we felt the area was a bit more populated and lively, whereas Worsley seemed very quiet.”
Both apartments Leonora looked at were similar, so it ultimately came down to location. Leonora said: “Honestly, it was just the area that attracted me and that’s why I liked it.I just liked Worsley better.The other apartments are on the ground floor and the penthouse That was ideal, but the other option was only the second floor, so the higher it is, the better.”
Leonora moved into a two-bed, two-bath flat in a popular part of Salford in May 2022, paying £800 a month. “It was perfect, so I thought, ‘This is it. “You’ll never get it in London,” she said.
“Although the apartment was move-in ready and did not need any renovations, it was unfurnished so I had to buy all the furniture myself.”
Leonora said it was important to her to make the apartment feel homey. “When she was looking for inspiration for her new home on Pinterest, she felt that many apartments looked exactly the same,” she said. “I wanted my apartment to not only look good, but also feel homey when people come in,” she says, making them feel comfortable. Sometimes when you go to someone’s home, it may look nice, but you feel like you can’t touch anything. ”
She shopped at places like IKEA and B&M to find stylish yet affordable items. “I bought a lot of furniture and decor from IKEA, B&M and Wayfair, all of which were reasonably priced. I had never styled anywhere before or had my own place, so it was a lot of fun. I “I think the interior style is somewhere between modern and bohemian,” she said.
Leonora showed us around the apartment and explained: Entering to the left is the main bathroom, and to the right is a storage cupboard. To the right is the living room and kitchen, next to which is the guest bedroom and office. My bedroom is on the left and has a private shower room. There is also a balcony off the living room. ”
Leonora has been living in the apartment for almost two years. “It definitely feels like home now. She loves where she lives,” she said. “I feel like people are a lot friendlier here. When I go for a walk, people smile and say hello, which I don’t understand.”It’s very London.
“The area is really nice and quiet. The only time there is noise is in the summer when the kids are out of school, but other than that, everyone is really respectful of each other in my building and other properties nearby. Yes, it’s a residential area, but I also like that it’s in the suburbs.”
Speaking about her future plans, she says: “I want to live in Manchester long-term. I feel like I haven’t seen enough of the city yet and would love to explore it for a little longer.” , I have no plans to return to London.
“As far as apartments go, I’d like to live somewhere a little more spacious. This space is enough for one person, but I’d like to have a third bedroom. That way I could convert one bedroom into a proper home office. Maybe in the next year or two I’ll look for a bigger place. But if not, for now this is the place. It’s comfortable.”
Eventually Leonora wants to buy her own place. “I would love to buy and I think it’s great that the rent is so affordable and I can still save money. I haven’t really considered it yet, but I’m in the right place and enjoying it.” First move So I hope to be able to purchase it somewhere in the near future.
“For now, renting suits my lifestyle and I probably wouldn’t see any benefits if I was in London, whereas here my money is quite useful. The flexibility of renting versus owning a home. I like that I don’t have to pay any other fees like I do with other people. Everything is taken care of for me. I don’t have to think about anything that needs to be fixed, I just live here and pay my rent and bills. I’m just paying the bills. Fortunately, everything has been fine since I’ve lived here, and I’ve only contacted the landlord once, and they’ve been very accommodating.”