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?

Yes but we think we're advising someone who posts on mumsnet where to live - advising her son is entirely different. He can host barbecues in Larbert all he wants, his new friends from his work in Haymarket aren't likely to come in droves are they. For someone my age, school catchments are a massive driving force. A younger person - well if he's not into drinking but rather sport, good easy access to get to games and training is more important.

@MorrisZapp - we lived in Buchanan Street in Leith too.
I'm out in Midlothian now (wouldn't recommend for people without kids!), my younger brother lives in Magdalene which isn't a fabulous area but not awful. I work a lot in Muirhouse and wouldn't hugely recommend.
Newhaven,Abbeyhill, Gorgie/Dalry would all be fine.

But the problem is that OPs son will be struggling to afford to buy in any of the areas that we think are ideal and are areas where we bought into when we were young. So his options are either buying something in an area that might be a bit more than dodgy outside the centre, or living further out. Dodgy areas are fine if that's where you've grown up and you know who and where and when to avoid but not so much if you've come from a sheltered mc background. We don't really know very much about ops son at all, so just giving options in his price range.

In his shoes I think I'd be looking for a convenient rental in the short term, even a flat share, then sussing out colleagues and new friends and then seeing where/what he could afford from there.

Buchanan Street massive! Respect! I only had to phone the police three times, it made a woman of me :)

The op did specifically ask about areas of Edinburgh, so I assume her son plans to live in the city. If he wanted to host barbecues in the shires she would probably have said so! Perhaps he is a keen gardener looking for his own driveway, but statistically most people in their early 20s moving to new cities want to enjoy those cities, not small towns thirty miles outside them. Apologies to anyone from Larbert, I'm sure it's lovely.

Actually the worst hooligan in Buchanan Street was the deif old lady next door who watched westerns at midnight on full volume. Bet she was a terror in her day. We'll gloss over the rent boy downstairs, he was very polite to be fair.

Well, I'd like to live in a Georgian town house in the new town but my budget doesn't run to that just like the OPs son who might have to wait a while and bid for a lot of flats in the hope of getting something in leith or Gorgie or Dalry or whatever as his budget doesn't run to those either.

The OP has said her son isn't one for the nightlife, is happy to commute in and she's posted places in livingstone, Loanhead and Cockenzie.

If he's working around haymarket then ideally a flat in Dalry or Tollcross or roseburn would be perfect. But, I think that will be near impossible on his budget looking at what is around.

Personally I think he'd be better looking at a short term rent/a flat share until he gets himself established. Then he might find he is a party animal after all or he might hate the noise and dirt of the city centre and want something out of town. He might find his money doesn't go as far as he thought and not want to extend himself to the max. Who knows? Possibly not even himself at this point.

He'll probably also have to do 6 months probation and will struggle to get a mortgage until he is confirmed anyway.

This is the only thing in budget I can see in the city (ish) and to be fair, although it's a studio, it looks lovely but it has a closing date in 2 days.

espc.com/property/1-blackie-road-leith-links-edinburgh-eh6-7na/35789868?sid=263625

SpareRoom is a good place to look for rentals

www.spareroom.co.uk/flatshare/flatshare_detail.pl?flatshare_id=11169721&search_id=727040758&city_id=&flatshare_type=offered&search_results=%2Fflatshare%2Fedinburgh%3Fsort_by%3Dprice_low_to_high&from_saved_search=1

He could rent a room in a much nicer flat than he could afford to buy. I think coming home to an empty flat in a new city could be rather lonely - it was always the "thing" to share with others when I was younger.

I'd look at dalry. Walking distance to work and good sports facilities at Caledonian road. Sustrans have a bike map of Edinburgh that he could use to work out a cycle commute if that'd work.

Thank you for all your help and advice.

Dc is going to look into mortgages and how much he can get, and then he will know whether it’s a realistic option or not.

DS is realising that the buying process takes longer than he thinks so is looking for renting again.

Any views on Oxgang?

I grew up there OP but that wasn't yesterday! I'm on a FB group for the area and loads of people I grew up with still live in the area. I drive through occasionally and I think it's still fine, though it will be mainly ex local authority housing, it always had a nice feeling about it, nice community and has never been one of the rough areas. Decent bus service too. Not buzzy and vibrant, mainly families etc but has a couple of pubs and is okay for shops and good for getting into town, quite a few bus choices.

When one of my DSs was looking to study in Edinburgh, we had considered trying to pick up a flat there ourselves for him to use so I would be happy to have my ds there, but then I guess I'm a former local so maybe have a biased view.

Nice enough area but very local I would think (haven't interviewed every householder to tell obviously, but if it's like the area I live in it is very much local people and fewer young professionals moving in). I'm happy in such an area with a family but wouldn't have been before. For renting I would definitely go closer into town, are you looking at Oxgangs as it is more affordable? A flat share would surely still be cheaper.

Now looking at flatshares. However, or the suitable ones seem to be going quickly, or people aren’t responding to messages. Now getting frustrating.

Thanks for everyone help.

Uni has only just gone back I think so you may find a bit of movement on rooms over the next week or two as people decide it's maybe not for them.