There are certain parts of Greater Manchester where the region's richest residents tend to reside - and unsurprisingly it is in the areas where houses cost the most to buy.
Several prestigious towns and villages across the boroughs of Trafford, Stockport and Salford are filled with dream homes featuring their own pools and huge gardens, but a quick look at the price of properties shows that only a select few could afford to live here.
It is therefore no surprise that these lavish areas are hotspots for the rich and famous, which means you'll likely find one of the region's premiere league footballers, soap stars or celebrities living here.
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Looking at the most up-to-date average house prices from HM Land Registry, we have found the most expensive areas to buy a home in Greater Manchester at the moment which are renowned for attracting some rather wealthy residents.
Bowdon, Trafford
Bowdon continues to be the region's most expensive area to live, and a quick wander around the borough shows that it is rife with those dreamy multi-million pound mansions. The average cost of a property in the Trafford suburb is a staggering £897,758, with detached homes selling for an average of £1,654,921.
House prices in the area haven't stopped rising in years, with the cost of a home now 29 percent higher than it was last year, and 32 percent up on the peak in 2018.
"Most buyers in this location have six figure salaries and can afford such properties," says Jennifer Jameson, managing director of independent estate agents Jameson and Partners based in nearby Altrincham. "Many of our clients are entrepreneurs; shareholders in family run businesses; medics; lawyers and those with large property portfolios, there are also some footballers and celebrities."
Known for its exclusivity and closeness to United's training ground, many of the Manchester United players have been known to settle in the sought-after village over the years.
Marcus Rashford reportedly owns a £1.85 million six-bedroom house in Bowdon, which he bought in 2017, while the suburb has also been home to United keeper David De Gea in previous years. Harry Maguire also reportedly lives in a £4 million 'dream home' in Bowdon with his wife, according to the Mirror, which boasts four bedrooms, a giant balcony, gated driveway and a home cinema.
Hale and Hale Barns, Trafford
Bowdon, Hale and Hale Barns are the wealthiest areas in Greater Manchester and together they are regarded as our region's version of Cheshire's Golden Triangle.
Neighbouring Bowdon, Hale is a desirable village known for its large number of upmarket bars and restaurants, as well as its huge offering of historic mansions and plenty of new modern developments. Properties in Hale have an overall average price of £795,283, with the majority of sales being detached homes selling for around the £1,247,397 mark.
Prices continue to go up in the area, having gone up by 22 percent since the 2020 price peak of £649,260. The popular village is another area where Manchester United players tend to gather.
Luke Shaw reportedly set up home in Hale when he made the move north from Southampton, buying a plush £2.8million pad.
The area also used to be home to former Manchester United and England player Phil Neville, but according to the Express, Phil sold his £5.25m home to his friend, TopGear's Freddie Flintoff in 2021.
In the nearby village of Hale Barns, the average cost of a home currently stands at £832,103, making it the second most expensive area to live, where detached properties are selling for an average price of £937,636. Manchester United's Antony reportedly moved into Paul Pogba's former five-bed mansion in Hale Barns after joining the club last summer, reports The Mirror.
Altrincham, Trafford
Altrincham continues to be a well-known wealthy part of the region with a number of stand-out homes that sell for large amounts of money.
Set in the south of Trafford, the pretty town has its very own award-winning market and is also home to the beautiful Dunham Massey featuring a historic English country mansion with a deer park and stunning gardens. As a sought-after area, Altrincham is one of Greater Manchester's most expensive places to buy a home, with an average house price of £517,340.
The majority of sales in Altrincham during the last year were semi-detached properties, selling for an average price of £468,181. Terraced properties sold for an average of £383,213, with detached properties fetching £943,335. Overall, the cost of homes in Altrincham has gone up by 11 percent since the peak of £463,988 in 2020.
In 2022 Altrincham was been named one of the Sunday Times' Best Places to Live for the fifth year running.
Roe Green, Salford
The pretty village of Roe Green in Worsley is another area that tends to attract some rather rich residents.
Properties in the Salford suburb sold for an average price of £499,510 over the last year, which was 10 percent higher than the previous year. As well as its large, stand-out homes, even smaller properties in the area sell for a big amount with terraced properties typically priced around £552,648.
Former Manchester United player Marouane Fellaini owned an impressive six-bed mansion in the area, which he put up for sale for £2.2 million in 2021. Set within its own gated grounds, the property boasted an indoor swimming pool, spa room, private gym and even had its own personal barbershop inside.
Bramhall, Stockport
Bramhall is a sought-after neighbourhood in Stockport that is home to trendy bars, restaurants and quirky independent shops.
The majority of homes here are detached or semi-detached and are often older properties and countryside estates that retain their character. It costs quite a bit to live in the Stockport suburb, with the average home costing £494,819 over the last year, which has gone up by 19 percent since the 2020 peak of £418,973.
The area was once home to Manchester United legend George Best and Manchester City player Phil Foden reportedly lived in a £2.85million mansion here with his girlfriend Rebecca Cooke and their two children.
Marple Bridge, Stockport
The tranquil village of Marple Bridge is a prime spot for wealthy residents who want to escape the hustle and bustle of the city.
The Stockport district sits in a beautiful spot along its own waterway of the River Goyt and is made up of some stone-built period properties that date back to the 18th century, which have been perfectly maintained over the years. Properties in Marple Bridge had an overall average price of £472,007 over the last year, which has gone up by 15 percent on the previous year.
The majority of sales in the village are detached properties, selling for an average price of £564,882. Semi-detached properties sold for an average of £500,954, with terraced properties fetching £314,714.
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