Would we be mad to up sticks and move to Edinburgh

[JamInMyWellies]

I am Scots but lived down Sth since I was a teenager. DH and I love Edinburgh and are really thinking about moving North.

Please give me your good and bad points about uprooting and moving from East Anglia to Edinburgh.

We live in Stockbridge (and are not braying poshos!) and my DH commutes to London every week. It's easy enough, we walk up to meet him at the station on a Friday night which is nice

Oh, and agree that ESPC is the site to use to find property.

Plan ahead - a long time ahead - to make sure you can view when you want to. Edinburgh seems a bit inflexible when it comes to viewings. The old tradition of open viewings Thurs 7-9 and Sun 2-4 still prevails. Either that, or it's accompanied viewing only, which seems to be even more inflexible.

Is Linlithgow too far out? Right side for the airport.

Good luck.

I'm from Edinburgh but live and work in Dunfermline now. As far as Fife goes, I'd look at Aberdour (as you are already!) and maybe North Queensferry since it's so pretty and unique. Both have good primary schools, but Inverkeithing High School wouldn't float my boat so you might want to look elsewhere for secondary schools, maybe private in Edinburgh.

I grew up near Portobello and I still spend an evening there every week while my DD does swim training. The prom is much improved from when I was a child and it's a really vibrant and lively place of an evening with lots going on. It might be worth looking there or in Joppa.

Very envious Jam. We did that earlier in the year but as I said upthread we haven't been able to make the big decision yet - maybe in the spring if we can sell the house. DH is commuting the other way - London to Edinburgh - and staying in the various places we've talked about. Good luck and let me know how you get on (PM me - we're hopefully six months behind you)

Don't worry about driving over the bridge. The new one is ahead of schedule and will relieve any congestion.

I do think the new bridge will make a big difference, especially for bus users.

Inverkeithing HS doesn't float my boat either. Am thinking about Balwearie (have to pay bus fare but it still goes from the village) or private (bus to Dollar from village or to Melvilles from Dalgety Bay).

We had a look around Beaconhurst in Bridge of Allan (private) and were quite impressed - although as somewhere to live it may be a bit far from Edinburgh. Will probably have a look at Dollar next time we're up.

We discounted East Lothian (although I love it) as it's just that bit further out from the airport, which in terms of a regular commute was a bit too much for DH.

How did you get on with your viewings OP?

Not gone yet.

Flights booked for next wk. so have to book viewings. Have had responses from a couple of Primary schools so the ball is officially rolling.

We thought about Dolllar but I think it's too far into Fife. Although there is an amazing ing house in Saline

We upped sticks from London 2 years ago and love it. It's taken a little while to make friends but if you have children, I think it's probably a bit easier. Like anywhere else you pay a premium for being in the catchment of the 'top' secondary schools., back in the summer it was estimated that this was around £100k in the papers. There is a significant proportion of secondary school pupils who attend private schools. if OH heading to London regularly, you will need to consider the cost/time of getting to and from the airport. The airport bus and tram both follow a similar route and take about 30 mins to get to Princes St. Going over the bridge to Fife is fine outside of rush hour, but the traffic can easily add just under an hour.

Hours of sunshine in Edinburgh are double that of Warwickshire weather fact fans

Have to say on the weather front, it's been way better than everyone said. It's generally 2/3 degrees cooler than the south plus it doesn't get unbearably hot at night in the summer.

RIght booked to see some properties. Decided against the one in Aberdour as it doesn't have parking or a garage. So the eco one near Loanhead although its proximity to Costco is worrying. Burntisland thinking maybe Dalkeith and also a couple in Saline near Dunfermline. Quite excited. Oh and lunch in Scotland's gastropub of the yr.

Maybe have a look around Culross, Torryburn, Limekilns & Charleston - pretty/historic & not far from the bridge.

However, whilst I agree the new Forth Crossing will improve journey times to a certain extent, there's also the traffic on the A90 into Edinburgh - it's a killer in the morning.

Maybe have a think about Balerno, Ratho, West Linton?

Woohoo - so the Aberdour one is still mine

Good luck!

There's a pocket of nice houses in Dalkeith but the town centre is awful.

What? What place is gastropub of the year?

The Sun Inn in Dalkeith. Apparently

Re the Aberdour Black Sands property, about 5 houses along the owners have put on a very modern extension and dug out the front garden for parking. Still might be worth a look.

Actually, two houses along. On street view it is the grey bay fronted house with a red door.

Me again.

Does the wee lane in front of the house not have access? I've never gone up for a look. If you zoom along on street view you can see it.

If you have a couple of million then either of these would do at a push. The second one was Jack Vettriano's.

www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/30921894?search_identifier=04f36433cdf34aefa031316e69b7a5e4#8vzCYuWce7xhHHTs.97

www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/34879797?search_identifier=04f36433cdf34aefa031316e69b7a5e4#WM3RDHeKFtZ0d6Uk.97

www.espc.com/properties/details.aspx?pid=337628&sid=33153028163

Also nice but I can't get my head around the layout.

My husband was looking at the castle the other night. Slight problem that its nearly 3 times our budget.

I too have looked at the other Aberdour one and cant figure out the layout either.

You can only view it if you agree to wear short skirt, suspenders and killer heels.