Manchester city centre is a wonderful which is being trashed by the terrible counsellors specifically Pat Karney
https://twitter.com/patkarney / Richard Leese
https://twitter.com/sirrichardleese. Really nice buildings keep getting knocked down for large developments, dodgy payments happening all over the place and residents are largely ignored. Much of the city is being ruined for a variety of mad schemes, namely the Northern Quarter.
However it is a cool place to live, but the last few years its all dirty. I can rub my fingers on the window sils after leaving the window open for a day and have a finger full of black soot.
Avoid North Manchester ( Gorton / Blackley / Harperhey ), Salford is pretty cheap but also grimy.
Many bits of South Manchester can be nice, Chorlton and Didsbury but are crazy money ie 400k for a tiny terraced house in Didsbury isn't uncommon, flats in the city centre are 250k+ for a little 1 bed these days.
Moss Side, Whaley Range and Hulme are all rather soulless without much going on. Stretford and Sale are both quite pleasant places these days as are 'The Heatons' ( Heaton Chapel / Heaton Moor )
Going east you have Ashton, Levenshulme and Reddish which are all pretty awful. And further our Marple and Glossop and the Peak district is all quite pleasant.
Going west you have Eccles and Swinton which are pretty reasonably priced and quite nice these days.