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Original poster

Where not to live in Edinburgh

91 replies

Loveislandaddict · 05/09/2019 21:23

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?

OP posts:
tempresistance · 07/09/2019 13:56

Avoid Seafield. (Sewage works) It absolutely stinks even driving through it you have to cover your nose most of the time!

Sexnotgender · 07/09/2019 14:35

Can I recommend Kirkcaldy? It’s over the bridge in Fife but totally commutable. You’ll get so much more for your money.
Also Dunfermline which isn’t far from Kirkcaldy.

Sexnotgender · 07/09/2019 14:37

Nice area in Kirkcaldy

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-64874193.html

Dieu · 07/09/2019 15:15

I too would go for Leith. The Shore area is lovely.
That is a teeny budget for Edinburgh though.

midsomermurderess · 07/09/2019 15:55

Flats in many of these areas, and Leith in particular right now, esp with the tram going to go down there, are being snapped up for short-term holiday lets. Key safes popping up like ticks daily. That's driving up prices and availability.

SciFiScream · 07/09/2019 19:10

Avoid Seafield. Aww the stink! Sewage works and always worse at the weekend after people have been out drinking. The houses and flats will be cheaper because of this. It's also near that recycling area.

SciFiScream · 07/09/2019 19:13

The ESPC website is what you need. Biggest in the area.

WaxOnFeckOff · 07/09/2019 19:34

Out of the ones yo posted OP, I'd go for the loanhead one but that's probably because it's an area I'm more familiar with. It's a good situation, just to the south of the city so from a driving point of view, it's as easy to get to either the west or the eat and it's near a junction for the bypass. As far as I remember. lots of the penicuik buses went through Loanhead - especially the night ones and it's handy for the big retail market at Straiton which also has Ikea and costco as well as a big Sainsburys. Also easy to get down to the Borders for leisure stuff.

Babdoc · 07/09/2019 19:44

OP, can I echo the warning by a PP about the Scottish system of “offers over”.
DD bought a flat in Edinburgh last year. She regularly lost out on flats that went for £40,000 over the asking price. One even went for £70,000 over. She finally had to offer almost £50,000 over asking price, to get her tiny wee flat with the kitchen in the living room, and no outside space let alone garden.
You need to look at flats priced considerably BELOW your budget to have any hope of securing them, as the Edinburgh market is ferocious.

Babdoc · 07/09/2019 19:48

I should also warn you that commuting in by car is all very well, but where on earth is your DS planning to park? It is over £23 per day in the NCP city centre car parks. If he’s a student at Edinburgh uni itself (there are several other uni’s in different parts of the city) it’s right in the middle with almost nowhere to leave a car. He’d be better advised to buy a flat on a bus route.

SciFiScream · 07/09/2019 20:12

I think best to look at place of work and commuting routes. North Berwick line and Tweedbank line good for trains so allow you to live further out of Edinburgh and thus more cheaply, but travel is more expensive and trains...well they have their good and bad points.

A good bus route might be best.

Car travel in Edinburgh is going to get more and more difficult and parking is both expensive and hard to find.

Where is your son going to be working? Rough area, no need to be precise. You say he isn't a student?

happycamper11 · 07/09/2019 20:32

Certain parts of Pilton, granton, Granton is now undergoing the regeneration it was supposed to get 10 years ago, and even muirhouse are actually ok now. DP live in a quiet newbuild on the edge of muirhouse and the worst they've had in 11 years is a stolen motorbike left in their car park. Do you have school age children OP. I've also a friend live on the edge of muirhouse and again house and area is fine but they will send dc to private school if they do not get an out of catchment place. I'd avoid Peffer personally along with niddrie, craigmillar, Wester Hailes bit then with all the totally unaffordable affordable housing popping up all over there's likely to be a degree of gentrification seeping in to all these areas eventually

happycamper11 · 07/09/2019 20:39

Sorry just seen update it's for adult son. If schools aren't a consideration it opens up lots of areas. I've many single fiends live in granton. It has amazing bus links and isn't too far from centre, this includes east Pilton which is far nicer/better than west

Original poster
Loveislandaddict · 07/09/2019 21:04

He’s in early twenties, and probably will be using public transport. His place of work is not too far from Princess Street at the Haymarket end.

Really appreciate on your comments. Bit scary how much the offers over prices are.

OP posts:
SciFiScream · 07/09/2019 21:10

Haymarket - lots of transport options then. Maybe look west. Trains and trams and lots of bus options. Could even commute from Fife and park at the Ingliston park and ride or take the train.

It can take an hour to get across Edinburgh (so from Portobello to Haymarket) and an hour or less to get to Haymarket from Fife!

WhatTiggersDoBest · 07/09/2019 21:17

Avoid Muirhouse. But nearby Davidson's Mains is mostly ok. Leith has improved over recent times as have the Calders and both have regular buses into town.

WaxOnFeckOff · 07/09/2019 21:18

Why don't you look further out West OP? You could get a one bed in the likes of Bo'ness (bus route) or Larbert (train line) for about half his budget. Travel times will obvs be longer and higher but it would get his foot on the ladder and give him a chance to suss out areas of edinburgh or outskirts before extending his finances further.

backaftera2yearbreak · 07/09/2019 21:27

I’ve lived in Leith, Westerhailes and Niddrie. I imagine the type of people that frequent mumsnet would not associate themselves with such places. However, if you keep your nose out if other peoples business it’s fine whoever you live. Never had problems in any Of the areas. I live out without the city now (Gorebridge) and the borders railway may be winning awards for the shittest service ever! Somewhere along the tram line may work if he’s looking for fast transport into town.

Mustbeoriginal38 · 07/09/2019 21:41

I agree with a PP. Have look at Fife - Dunfermline, Inverkeithing or even Cowdenbeath. More house/flat for money and trains and bus services into the city. Worth a shout here since you say he's not into night life.

Also Falkirk could be worth a try. Trains from the High Station and Grahamston and they stop at Haymarket. Commute isn't too long either.

I lived in Leith for a while and loved it but wanted to be closer to my work which wasn't in Edinburgh. Had moved to Leith to live with partner.

happycamper11 · 07/09/2019 22:05

I’ve lived in Leith, Westerhailes and Niddrie. I imagine the type of people that frequent mumsnet would not associate themselves with such places.

My part of Leith is about as 'mumsnetty' as they come, and for a considerable distance one cannot blink without seeing the word artisan. We have an entire cafe dedicated to avocados 🥑

trulyconfuseddotcom · 07/09/2019 22:28

I'd say that, if he's working in Haymarket, the Georgie/Dalry areas could be a good bet, you might be able to pick up a small 1-bed there for £120k. Lots of buses into town and not particularly rough these days.

Iggi999 · 08/09/2019 01:11

He will need to look in some of the almost-not-a-great-place-to-live areas or he won't be able to afford a flat. I would advise him to rent and also to ignore those trying to get a 20 something to live out in the sticks! There are areas of Edinburgh that would be considered less desirable but many people live there very happily and have done all their lives. He is likely to want somewhere that isn't like that but rather an area that has lots of people moving into it - not too local iyswim. But 100 grand buys very little sadly.

MorrisZapp · 08/09/2019 10:01

Aw you can't expect a young guy in his new career in an exciting city to commute from fucking Larbert. The laddie can do like generations before him have done and step over the puddles of sick in the morning on his walk to work, he probably provided a couple of them!

He can have a driveway and a commute in the unimaginable future. He'll love a vibrant area, what does a young guy need a garden for anyway.

WaxOnFeckOff · 08/09/2019 10:20

You do know that young people live everywhere right? And that they are not all the same? I'm from Edinburgh, it's possible to live there and anywhere else without puking in the street. It's also possible for a young guy to host a bbq.

It always amazes me that people find it impossible to imagine that anyone might want to live any differently from them or how they imagine people should live.

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