Back to the OP...
I don't think there is a "nicest" part, all areas have their good and bad bits
Sure, Didders is really nice, but it's also ridiculously pricey, and you still have a bloody good chance of having someone break in and nick your Merc from your driveway at night. It might seem nice, but insurance premiums are still as high as everywhere else. And it's full of twats. Don't forget, some of the neighbouring parts of Burnage and the Heatons are a shithole filled with right scumbags, and all the top dog organised criminals live in Didsbury, and they will employ said scumbags to do their dirty work in the local area. South-west of the Parrs Wood complex alongside Kingsway is probably the best area of the lot as it's surrounded on all sides and thus a bit more secluded.
For me, I always pick the nicest street in a shit area. Cheap house prices and it's nice enough to live there. I bought a house in Moss Side and literally two streets along is the crack capital of the area. My street has lots of families and no prossies or crack dens. It's all right. Apart from one very strange incident on the day I moved in, I've never been burgled, mugged, hassled, or even talked to by anyone who was remotely unfriendly. And I've left the back door wide open all day once (forgot to close it). Generally don't tend to get people breaking into houses there in case it's a drug den and they get shot.
I would never, ever again live in Longsight.
Even Falllowfield/Withington is improving slightly as students are moving into town, but it's still burglary central.
I am aiming to move to Chorlton (Brantingham Road area) as it's OK and still not too expensive. I have a feeling the Metrolink will artificially raise prices around there though.
