Have you considered Stockport? - Heaton Mersey, for instance, is next door to Didsbury.

Plenty decent (cask) beer too, if you know where to look....

Heaton Misery is a car park of massive proportions, work just around the corner and my drivers detest even going near the place and Stockport in general is an odd place.

Rent, don't buy. The house price crash continues steadily on flats/apartments.

Depends entirely at what point you think prices have bottomed and that mortgage payments become more attractive than rental payments - certainly not as clear cut a decisoin as you imply!

The Economist recently estimated houses are overvalued by 18%, if the OP rents he'll also have more money to spend around Salford.

An excellent point. If he nips across to the Lowry Outlet mall and buys a Burger King and a cinema ticket he can double their annual turnover.