Where not to live in Edinburgh

[Loveislandaddict]

Please can anyone advise where Not to live in Edinburgh?

I can see plenty of articles about good places (too expensive), but not where not to live.

Or can anyone recommend any middle-of-the road areas. Or upcoming areas?

Gorebridge is on the new borders train line:

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-84432089.html

I'd avoid Gorgie/Dalry

I disagree with this. I lived on Dalry Road 11 years ago, and would have agreed with you then, but it's changed so much in those years. There are still roads I'd avoid, like Westfield, but overall it's a decent enough area, and cheaper on average.

I stay nearby in Slateford/Hutchison/Chesser area now, and really like it here. It's a bit cheaper overall, but still a good area

I'm going to say Craigmillar is a bit more up and coming these days. I'd consider it.

This looks nice and Broxburn not too far out -
espc.com/property/138-west-main-street-broxburn-eh52-5ll/35784939?sid=790317

I guess a lot depends on where in edinburgh he'll need to get to as you'd want to limit it to one bus/train if possible and you don't really want to have to be crossing the city centre all the time.

The thing with Edinburgh is the good areas and the bad areas tend to border each other, there are a few areas to be avoided but in the main a lot of deprived areas are being redeveloped and it’s much more balanced than it once was.

I think you need to look at where he’ll be needing to get to and then look at bus routes out from there.
I find this map accurate for shitness.
vis.oobrien.com/booth/

The one bed in Portobello mentioned further upthread is a brilliant location! Stones throw from the beach. Very good value at 110k although could go quite a bit over.

The best area of Auld Reekie is Glasgow

Is he young? The cheap but ok areas for first time young buyers have traditionally been dalry and abbeyhill/ top of Easter road / leith walk.

Middling places alightlyvout of town mentioned above are all a bit “family” so if he’s young and single I’d be advising staying in-town.

I’ve had a look on ESPC and the cheapest flats I’d live in (as a single woman travelling by public transport at all hours) are offers over £110k which probably means around £120-125.
Personally if I couldn’t afford that I’d rent.

@museumum - yes, fairly young,

Portobello road flat is lovely,

flat 1

flat2

flat3

flat 4 . Too far away?

flat 5

flat 6

Any views?

Also, why are so many flats unfurnished? Is that usual in Scotland?

ie. unfurnished in pictures - i’m Not expecting them to be sold with furniture, but it’s unusual to see so many empty properties.

I agree with pp about renting first then buying. Sounds massively sensible and will slow him to get to know the area as a whole. Assuming he’s working up there he might get some great advice from workmates about young areas that have good nightlife.

He’s not really a nightlife person, so that’s not a big issue. Prefers playing sport in the daytime, rather than drinking at night.

Pilton, Niddry, Granton and Craigmillar all have a bad rep but I can't speak from any experience as I haven't lived in any of them myself.

If you want safe and friendly neighbourhoods at less cost, there are lots of villages just on the suburbs of Edinburgh which tend to be more reasonably priced - Winchburgh, Musselburgh, Ratho, Kirkliston, Roslin etc. Most have very good transport links to the city centre.

Within Edinburgh itself, areas like Leith, Sciennes and Trinity are all nice and not at the upper end for house prices, but are still quite expensive.

Property in Edinburgh is generally really expensive compared to the rest of Scotland.

I certainly wouldn't class Penicuik as Edinburgh, its practically in the Borders!

Oh please! It's less than ten miles from the city centre!

You have a couple of links to properties in Livingston. Personally I’d discount those. He’d either be stuck driving into Edinburgh (nightmare on the M8 during rush hour) or getting the train, but neither of those properties are near either train station so he’d need to drive to the train station- very limited parking and DH gets to Livi North by 7:15 to make sure he gets a space. Livingston is popular for commuters but it’s a real pain!

As others have suggested, I’d rent first and get a feel for the city.

Of the flats above
Seafirld is good
Loanhead fine
Pfeffer you’d want to look around bus stops etc as it’s edge of some unsavoury areas

Cockenzue and Livingston definitely not as young single guy. Ok for family if needs must.

The unfurnished ones will have been rented out recently now being sold.
Most people why buy one of these smaller ones as a single person will move somewhere bigger with a partner and rent the 1-bed out for a bit before selling at a “right” time.

Is he working in Edinburgh? Can you say roughly where? Standard hours or shifts?

Does he cycle/bus/train/drive have a car?

Wester Hailes, Craigmillar, Pilton, Niddrie, Muirhouse, Burdiehouse.

All rough as hell.

Classic first time buyers areas are Gorgie Dalry, Abbeyhill, Leith Walk, Meadowbank, Tollcross. All very walkable to town and with loads of one bed flats. My first flat was in Buchanan Street, just off Leith Walk. I loved that flat! Young people don't give a shit if the street is a bit rough around the edges.

I would go for something like this:

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-73271710.html

I bed in Portobello, offers over £110k. Decent area, fairly quiet. But loads of buses running into town. And the beach!

SIMD (Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation) is a good tool to use as a guide - avoid red and orange - which largely are the place listed upthread. The darker the blue the least deprived the area is - based on a number of set factors.
simd.scot/2016/#/simd2016/BTTTTTT/13/-3.2165/55.9427/