Edinburgh MNetters - tell me where we should live!

[Pruni]

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I don't know anything about rent prices I'm afraid, but Polworth might fit the other aspects of your post, or possibly Tollcross?

Assuming this is accessible from outside, it would be worth having a look at the university bulletin at the classified ads. They often have rental places that are near KB, and will give you an idea of prices. I think ESPC do rentals too.

Oh blooming heck, scratch that- I just looked at the prices on there. As you know, gardens are at a bit of a premium...

How about Liberton? Not an area I know very well, but it is close to KB and has lovely views (not much in the way of a centre though). It looks cheaper too, there's a place here for £650 pcm.

We live in the Leith Links area and really like it. It's got an excellent primary school nearby, St. Mary's RC. The school is oversubscribed, so you'd need to live nearby.

We pay £500/pcm for a two bed. It's cycle distance to KB. I walk to the George Square area 3x/week - when not pregnant - and it's a little over 2 miles each way.

As tamum pointed out, however, gardens in this area are at a premium b/c it's still quite central and built up.

(I should point out that expat is about 1000000 times fitter than me and my definition of a cycle ride is, ahem, rather shorter than most )

it's a steady hill climb from here into town centre for an extra burn! no more gym fees to worry about. you're probably looking about a 4-5 mile cycle in, but it's all downhill on the way home AND there's a cycle lane all the way.

What about this
I think that either the one at the Spinney or Hazelwood Grove (ex-council) would be okay.
Cycle into the Kings Buildings is all downhill (obviously uphill going back) and not too far.

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Liberton/Braids/Mortonhall would all be an easy cycle away.

Newington might be a wee bit pricier but great amenities.

Blackford or Colinton might suit - not sure on reantal prices thou'. Bits of Libeton & Gilmerton are okay others not so good, so need to be careful there - but that is your best bet for a garden I think. Newington and maybe even around Blackett if you keep your eye out. I wouldn't say Leith Links to KB was a cycle TBH - but then again I am a lazy mare. In fact you could think about Duddingston where again you might get a garden if a long cycle is not an issue. HTH

Polwarth is dear, yeah. So is Tollcross.

Duddingston is also very, very dear.

As for ex-council, erm, the ones around the Uni are full of . . . well, one of my pals is a housing officer, and the estate 'Dumbiedykes' is nicknamed 'Junkiedykes'.

Almost all of council/ex council stock if flats and not terraced houses like down south. Some of it is terraced house, but don't know any like that near KB or the uni at all.

Marmaris on Clerk St doing the best kebabs at the moment AND they do home deliveries .

There are some ex-Council houses in Duddingston thou' Expat or some 70's Numbers which should be cheaper than Duddingston Village.

Marmaris - I lived nearly opposite there when at Uni and it was the BEST, yum, yum!

Kebab Mahal ROX!

Glasgow

portobello? it is really nice and just round arthur's seat or craigmillar (if you are feeling brave).

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TBH, yes, it is really that expensive to rent if you're not looking at ex-council - and having come to know this city like I have, I don't blame you there - or farther out. You're also looking for a three bed w/a garden.

Much of Edinburgh's housing stock is flats w/two bedrooms(although many of the Victorian ones have a boxroom big enough to be a third bedroom) and a communal garden at best. The newer flats tend to have car parks instead of communal gardens.

Houses are not as plentiful so to rent them can be costly.

We pay £500/month for this two-bed flat on the 2nd floor. And that's b/c it was unfurnished. We looked and looked. That was pretty much the going rate. Many were furnished and they wanted even more money.

The council tax - water, sewage and rubbish collection are rolled into your bill here if you live in a flat, no meters - will be £150/month come April, up from £131. And this is only Band C (the scale goes to G).

It's just not a really cheap place for families to live, so many families have moved outside the city limits.

Pruni £700 a month won't get a lot I am afraid. 10 years ago we were paying £325 for a 1st floor, one-bed in Gorgie of all places. .

Where have you looked - Capital Lettings and Alexanders are two that spring to mind.

Even Gorgie's gone thru the roof in price. It's a fav of 'young professionals'. DH's dad was from around there, and he's pure kicking himself that they didn't buy his mum's two bed council flat for £3000 back in the 80s.

I should add, this flat belongs to a housing association, that's why it's so 'cheap'.

Spacious it's not.

Aye - that was before Gorgie got posh Expat. Still had the Ferranti factory in place then. In fact the day we moved in we swore we would be moving out after 6 months - which we did!

It's gone all swish, gomez. All full of new build flats and car parks full of Audi TTs and Golfs.

Back when DH's dad was a laddy, it was a bit rough and then he moved to Leith to be a dock boy when his dad left the family at 14 and DH's dad was old enough to get his working papers.

He laughs at Leith now - his old work, once a distillery - has now been converted into 'lofts'.

We moved from Gorgie to Leith too!