Where Are the Best Areas to Invest in Manchester Right Now?

When investors first look at Manchester, they often start by trying to answer one question: where exactly should I focus?

Because while Manchester performs strongly as a whole, this is a city made up of multiple micro-markets — each with its own price points, tenant profiles, yield levels and capital growth stories.

Understanding where value still exists — and where tenant demand is strongest — is what separates a good property investment from a great one.

So, where are the best areas to invest in Manchester right now?

Let’s break it down properly — the way an experienced investor would.

City Centre Core: Where Growth Meets Stability

For investors looking for long-term income security, the very centre of Manchester remains one of the most stable and resilient markets in the UK.

Yields across prime city-centre blocks typically sit between 5.5% and 7% gross, with void periods far lower than many regional competitors. But within this core, not all stock performs equally.

The market is increasingly split between legacy apartments built in the early 2000s — often dated in spec and experiencing higher maintenance costs — and newer, institutionally-operated schemes offering premium amenities and professional management.

Today’s city-centre tenant — particularly young professionals, international students, and corporate relocators — expects:

• Concierge services
• Co-working space
• Private dining and social amenities
• Gym access
• Efficient management
• A location that allows them to live entirely on foot

This is precisely why Vita Living Circle Square has risen so quickly as one of Manchester’s most in-demand residential addresses. Sitting directly within the Oxford Road Corridor, it combines tenant demand from both the city’s huge graduate population and its growing technology, life sciences, and professional sectors.

Circle Square’s location provides tenants with:

• Walkability to both major universities
• Immediate access to major employment hubs
• Proximity to Symphony Park, the city’s newest central green space
• Co-working, social, and leisure amenities built into the development

For investors, that translates directly into premium rental pricing, tenant stability, and genuine long-term growth potential.

Ancoats: The Gentrified Creative Hub

Move slightly north-east of the city centre core and you’ll find Ancoats — a neighbourhood that has seen substantial regeneration over the past 10 years.

What began as an industrial quarter of derelict mills has now become one of the city’s most desirable lifestyle districts. It’s particularly attractive to creative sector workers, younger professionals, and those looking for a more independent, cultural feel — without sacrificing proximity to central Manchester.

Prices in Ancoats have risen considerably, and yields now typically sit in the 5%–5.5% range, slightly lower than core city-centre new build, but still offering solid capital growth prospects given continuing demand for lifestyle-led rental stock.

For investors, Ancoats works well for mid- to long-term capital appreciation, but opportunities to acquire newer stock at sensible pricing are becoming increasingly limited.

Salford Quays & MediaCityUK: The Waterfront Tech Cluster

Salford Quays offers a very different tenant demographic: a blend of media, digital, and corporate professionals working at the BBC, ITV, Dock10 and an expanding ecosystem of creative employers.

While not technically part of Manchester city centre, Salford Quays has matured into a standalone investment market. Yields remain attractive, often sitting around 5.5% to 6.5% gross, but there is an increasing premium for newer, well-managed buildings.

One thing investors should monitor here is upcoming pipeline supply — while demand remains strong, a large number of new schemes have come to market in recent years, meaning careful building-level analysis is essential to maintain rental pricing power.

Northern Quarter: The Original Manchester Cool

Northern Quarter remains Manchester’s original ‘up-and-coming’ creative district — now long since arrived.

It attracts a strong tenant base of young professionals, freelancers, designers and creatives looking for walkability, nightlife, independent food and culture — all while being minutes from key employers and transport.

Stock here is primarily converted warehouses and boutique schemes, which command strong rents but often come with higher maintenance or management complexity. Rental yields sit in the 5%–6% range, but voids remain minimal for well-maintained properties.

Northern Quarter can be highly lucrative for experienced landlords who understand the market and can acquire high-quality individual units at the right entry price.

South Manchester Suburbs: Long-Term Family Rental

Outside the city centre, Manchester’s commuter belt suburbs such as Didsbury, Chorlton, and Sale continue to attract family renters and professionals seeking more space while retaining quick access to the city.

Yields are lower, often 4%–5% gross, but tenant turnover is typically very low, with strong appeal for long-term lets. These locations suit Manchester property investors prioritising stability over growth — though capital values have also risen strongly in recent years.

So, Where is the Opportunity Right Now?

If you’re looking for:

For most of our Centrick Invest clients building or diversifying portfolios in Manchester, institutionally operated city-centre schemes like Circle Square remain the clear standout in 2025.

They combine:

• Real income performance from day one
• Fully managed operations
• Deferred payment structures
• A tenant demographic that isn’t just present — it’s growing

Manchester remains a market built on fundamentals. But choosing the right location, building, and management structure makes the difference between an average return and a consistently outperforming asset.

That’s where Centrick Invest helps our investors make confident, informed decisions — backed by real data, real tenants, and real operating performance.

Explore Circle Square here or fill out the form below to register your interest in this exceptional development.