dreaming of a new life in edinburgh

[frazzled74]

we have just returned from a holiday in edinburgh and loved it.I am only at day dreaming stage but am just wondering how possible it would be to move there.
I know that we could get jobs,but is it possible to buy a 3 bedroomed property for less than 150,000? or rent one for under £800 a month, if so ,which areas? are they ok? are the schools good etc. we would want to be within easy reach of city centre. all advice appreciated as i have tried searching on internet but dont really know the areas.

oops last bit garbled, but you get the gist no doubt!

Not trying to put anyone off. Surely anyone moving anywhere will want to research their prospective new place thoroughly. Especially if funds are tight and compromises might have to be made. And the UN certainly do think Edinburgh is the worst for drugs. And yet I didn't know that and I live here!

hi frazzled - we are moving to Edinburgh in 2 weeks time as my dh has a new job there.. we've basically spent 5 months since he got offered the job endlessly searching for somewhere to live..its been quite a hunt but have had lots of wisdom and advice from MNetters
I think the best way of describing the experience of looking is that I had to constantly reduce my expectations of what we could get for our money..
so we are moving from a large 4 bed beautiful victorian terrace house in the midlands to a really quite small 3 bed modern semi in Edinburgh BUT in an area we are really happy with ( edge of stockbridge/comely bank area). But we are increasing our mortgage by more than 50% which is going to be a big squeeze for us.And i'm sorry to say its cost us more that 100k more than your budget!
But if you are willing to live further out of the city (musselburgh for example) and not expecting a glamorous house then it might be do-able.
Do CAT me if you like and i can let you know how we get on/give you endless more advice about moving up!

thanks for all the advice, the drugs problem doesnt bother me too much , but was a little worried that there may be anti english people in some neighbourhoods, really naive and hadnt even considered that.We cant move until ds has finished his a levels anyway so i have got plenty of time to research the idea and fit in a few more hols

I think that like the drugs problem you only need to worry about anti-Englishness in the rougher areas of the city which I wouldn't imagine you'd consider moving to anyway. Edinburgh has a lot of English people living here. Lots of my friends have English DH's, loads of my friends and colleagues are English and I don't really think about it tbh. The universtites attract a lot of English students, a good number of whom end up staying after graduation. The only time you notice any divide is over football but I've never know anything more than good humoured banter. Colleagues who live out of the city in rural areas have said that they've come across people being cold or awkward with them I.e. pretending they can't understand their accents in shops though but that's it.

frazzled I have never had a problem with my accent anywhere in Scotland, we used to live in the countrysdie and now in Edinburgh.

As with anwyhere, the language of a big smile and a friendly manner is pretty much universal! Although, it does take a while to feel settled, I think with some of the older, staider members of the community. But I shouldn't think you'd have any problem.

Edinburgh is a fabulous place to live and I highly recommend it. Its at its worst in July and August with all the tourists, so if you liked it then, you will love it for the rest of the year. Ignore the doom monger going on about drugs and weather etc. I have been here 11 years and NEVER been burgled/mugged etc and hardly know any one who has - the major downside is the house prices. Our four bedroom victorian semi was 500K and that's the cheapest you can get a period family house in a nice part of Edinburgh for.

Frazzled I should add that I have a fairly posh English accent and have never encountered problematic anti english sentiments either - the scots are by and large friendly and welcoming people.