anyone live in or know ayrshire?

[shortofbread]

We are considering a move. Looking for a bargain property and there seems to be a few around. Lots of little Ayrshire villages with nice affordable properies. However where would be nice to live with a young family?

Looking ideally for a country feel to where we are as very rural at the moment.

Have seen nice property in Coylton, Kirkoswald, Dalrymple, Dalry and Kilwinning. Anyone live or has lived in Ayrshire who can tell me where i might want to look/avoid?

Thanks

[OldLadyKnowsNothing]

Avoid Auchinleck and New Cumnock.

[everythingtodo]

Ayr itself is quite nice - I particularly like the end beside and including Alloway. I think the schools are pretty good too.

There is a good train service into Glasgow - I would want to be close to that if I was considering commuting. The new M77 is great but it is still a car park from Junction 4 into town every morning.

I have my judgey pants on a bit but there is quite a few rough areas - I'm sure Dalry and Kilwinning might be some of them.

But I don't know the area other than the odd visit don't let that sway you!

[shortofbread]

Thanks guys!

I have noticed that newmilns seems to have property that you could buy for crazy prices as low as 9k!! I reckon this means avoid!

Mauchline seemed a nice friendly wee place when i was there once!

Also like Stewarton and Dunlop, also Ochiltree seems nice.

Hard to know unless you have stayed there or know someone who does and has kids in school.

I like Ayr but whilst i dont want to be living next door to drug dealers/addicts i want to avoid snobby types too. (dont want much eh? all for 80k too ) and years ago i used to spend quite a bit of time in Ayr/Alloway and it definitely had its fair share of snobs and I just can't abide it!! Im more second hand Sally with a beaten up car and a part time wage and my kids are the dirty faced type with scraped knees

[AgentProvocateur]

I'd avoid all of them. What abOut prestwick? Is it too far south? Where are you at the moment?

[shortofbread]

Avoid all Ayrshire villages? Prestwick is ok but would prefer to be more rural tbh.

We are up north at the moment really rural.

Have you heard bad things about Kirkoswald? Looks quite. I don't mind slightly 'dead' places i just want to avoid drug infested shitholes

[shortofbread]

Looks quiet not quite

[OldLadyKnowsNothing]

Mauchline and Ochiltree are nice, usual teenagers drinking the park stuff. Sorn is very pretty, avoid Catrine. But the secondary school is in Auchinleck...

[shortofbread]

Thanks oldlady i had looked at this but i would hope to get kids in to the closest decent school if we were still there at that stage. Also wouldnt be selling our current house where high school gets a great rep so could always move back here if need be.

Just fed up of everything being hard so rurally and being so far from family whilst kids are little. Maybe in a few years it will feel easier (hopeful emoticon)

[Itsnotforsale]

West Kilbride, fantastic place to live, great coastal location -superb beach, good primary school (secondary not so), very cosmopolitan, great range of people from arty types to born and bred in the village types, all rub along nicely (most of the time). Huge range of property from Very Expensive to affordable, there's something for everyone. A very good community spirit, lots of very active voluntary committees. Good road links...have I sold to you yet?

[OldLadyKnowsNothing]

But... Itsnotforsale!

[shortofbread]

ha ha i did think that too old lady!!

Just had a nosey at whats for sale in West kilbride, nothing that ticks the boxes for the money we have

Anyone know about salcoats, largs, ardrossan?

Cousin used to live in Ardrossan and i remember the beach being lovely. I also remember some guy walking up her drive and back out with her husbands tool bag!! Best bit was my cousin despite being a size 10 girlie girl chased him

There are however some nice houses with low price tags in Ardrossan!

[mrscumberbatch]

Ayrshire can be lovely or foul.

Largs is lovely but very expensive to get into the 'naice' catchments.

I quite like Maybole in Ayrshire, its tiny but it's rural yet accessible enough for me to like it.

The outskirts of Kilburnie are alright, but wouldn't want to live in Kilburnie itself. (Shame, some lovely houses but some of the locals are a bit antisocial. As in asbo.)

[shortofbread]

AH HA MAYBOLE!! I like Maybole!My best friend lived there for a while and i always liked it. ALso is kirkoswald not relatively near there?
Do you know what it is like? Just there are a few cheap houses there that tick the boxes.

Off to check what is available in Maybole!

[mrscumberbatch]

I haven't a clue about Kirkoswald. It's not on my 'radar' per se.

I'm not an ayrshire type but all of DP's family are. (I thought Ayrshire was full of farmers and Ooo-Arrrrr types. I was not quite right, although there are some in DP's family!!!)

Fairlie is beeeeeautiful. I would love to live in Fairlie but i have a sneaky suspicion it'd be pricey (but it's gorgeous!!!)

[Joolyjoolyjoo]

Strange place, Ayrshire! I lived there for 2 years. When I first saw the place it looked lovely- I joked it looked like Toytown! Nice wee village with local shops and a couple of small pubs...

Until I discovered there were various "families" not to be messed with, and plenty of local , erm, characters. Used to sit in my work and watch the drugs raids across the road, men in ski masks with machetes (I kid you not!) The pubs were like the wild west on occasion, and there was a drive-by shooting when I lived there! It was certainly interesting. NB. I have to point out this was 18 years ago- may have changed dramatically since then!)

[mrscumberbatch]

Jooly, depending on whereabouts you are, it seems to be exactly the same!

DD had an accident ( totally pfb ) and we took her to a&e at Inverclyde.

OHMYGOD. It was terrifying/hilarious. we left in a hurry after realising dd was absolutely fine

[suzikettles]

Saltcoats and Adrossan are cheap for a reason, but there are ok bits like most places.

Largs is pricey I think. I know someone who lives in Skelmorlie and loves it.

[OldLadyKnowsNothing]

Maybole certainly looks quiet enough!

[mrscumberbatch]

We should start some sort of mumsnetty colony in Maybole!

(I reckon the antisocial behaviour would climb by at least 60% though!!!!)


There is a bridge for the trolls too!

[shortofbread]

Ah well i have tried many ayrshire villages on that crime statistic thingy and they all say zero throughout!

Is Fairlie the place near largs?

[mrscumberbatch]

Yup.

It's so pretty and green!! And sea views too!

google streetview

[OldLadyKnowsNothing]

Perhaps all Ayrshire villages are totally crime-free, then?

[Caz10]

Most parts of North Ayrshire are on the EU deprivation register, I wouldn't tbh! In south and east it is more "pockety" as someone described up the thread a bit. Choose carefully as if you make a mistake properties in some of the villages can be murderous to shift (as the murders go on round about them lol!)

[Itsnotforsale]

Most of the villages with very cheap property are cheap for a reason, steer well clear!
What about this, in Symington, a lovely little village between Troon and Kilmarnock, although I don't know your budget!

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-38217701.html?premiumA=true
or Dunlop, a really nice little place and the secondary catchment isn't too bad either in stewarton.

[shortofbread]

I know Symington! There used to be a nice place to eat there although its name escapes me atm!
Dunlop and Stewarton are lovely. Actually lived in Stewarton about 10 years ago and one of my best friends is still there!
There is a couple of nice flats we could afford but we have had a detached house for years and worry a glat would be hell with 3 noisy kids !!