Talk to me about Edinburgh...

[WineandDine]

I'm new here but would love some advice on moving to Edinburgh as DH has just been offered a job in the City. If all goes to plan we'll move up early/mid next year.

We're looking for a family friendly area with a good community vibe up to around 7/8 miles out of the City Centre. DH will be commuting via public transport but would also like the option to cycle weather permitting!

We have a DS (16 months) so schools will be a big consideration in the not too distant future but for now somewhere with toddler groups, coffee shops, restaurants/pubs and maybe a leisure centre/soft play closeby would be great.

We're in the cramped South East at the moment in rented accommodation having sold our house in the summer. Budget would be up to £375k and for that we're hoping for 4 beds with a garden. My parents are in the borders so somewhere fairly accessible to them would be a bonus too.

At the risk of sounding like a complete twat idiot, we're currently a bit spoilt with an M&S, Waitrose and some nice little shops and cafes really closeby so it would be nice to move somewhere with similar offerings if such a place exists!
So far Fairmilehead and Balerno are on our radar but believe the roads around there are a bit of a nightmare? Also not sure how far out budget will stretch there...
Any recommendations for other areas to consider would be much appreciated.

Thank you!

Small point of information - all houses /streets in Edinburgh are in some catchment area. If it's otherwise on rightmove, it's a mistake.

Also I'd double check with the council list. I live in a very high demand catchment area and I've seen properties advertised which say " nearby schools include X and Y" . Which is true, they are nearby. But the property is NOT in the catchment area.

www.edinburgh.gov.uk/downloads/download/174/primary_school_catchment_maps

www.edinburgh.gov.uk/info/20256/school_places/1377/find_your_catchment_school

Murrayfield/Roseburn. Seriously. Great schools, lovely area and 15 minutes walk to the centre.

Thanks Kr1stina for the links and school info. ESPC seems to have more detailed info on catchments but will double check.

PaulAnka haven't heard of those areas (other than the stadium!) so will have a good look - thank you.

Tickets booked to come up in a few weekends time - exciting!

Another vote here for Porty. I grew up nearby and spent a lot of time on the prom as a child but moved away years ago. I had reason to be there one evening a week for a while and I was really impressed by what Porty had become over the years. The Prom is clean and busy with loads of activities going on in the light evenings. There were plenty of families enjoying the beach and the atmosphere was almost Mediterranean.

There are plenty of house styles to choose from and the primary schools are decent and feed into a brand newly-built High School. Portobello is very accessible from the the centre of Edinburgh as it's on a main route with plenty of buses and train services (from Newcraighall), yet it still feels self-contained. I would move there in a flash if I was returning to Edinburgh.

This is a wee bit over budget, but would be a great spot to live in Portobello.
www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/41697403?search_identifier=378356c58c3b6bf208a32446a33a1097#OogtxMpcMgHBZsja.97

Thanks dotdot - this one is on the radar although need to get my head around the whole flat thing (and more so my DH!). Realise Edinburgh is very different to the South East and that this means I will now fall in love with an area where we can only afford a flat...

Does anyone know East Craigs just outside Corstorphine? We have upped our budget a bit and a house there has come on today. Schools would be Corstorphine Primary or Fox Covert RC and Craigmount High School - all of which are Ok I think??

An estate agent just told me properties are on the market for an average of 16 days in Edinburgh

I know East Craigs - is it one of the new build estates? It's a nice area with good transport links, perhaps a bit suburban. House prices are a bit cheaper there as it's not in the secondary catchment for Royal High. If you were across the road in Cammo or Barnton you'd be paying a bit of a premium for this.

I stay in Barnton & really like it, it's very family friendly. If you're wanting a bit of a villagey/trendy feel it's not for you. But you're near the beach at Cramond, cycle path, river walks, there's a few local shops at Barnton junction, and good childcare.

I should also say there's just been planning permission granted for the fields at Cammo - just across from East Craig's - it will probably impact on traffic & there is talk of re-defining school catchments.

I went to craigmount. Has a good reputation mostly. Corstorphine Primary seems to be decent. If you're looking at East Craigs do you mind me asking roughly what area? Purely because I know a lot of people who lived there, used to hang out there myself. With it being quite enclosed you can find a lot of teenagers hanging about, drinking in the wooded area near by etc. Not necessarily a massive issue but something you may want to consider.

Sorry, have to say I'm laughing at MoreProsecco describing East Craigs as suburban but not Barnton.

Was meaning both! It's very suburban here - definitely not for hipsters!

Sorry for the silence - had a poorly DS on my hands for the last week 😞

Thanks for that re East Craigs/Cammo/Barnton MoreProsecco, the market has definitely picked up and there's a few suitable properties in those areas. We're not ruling out somewhere a bit more 'suburban' Do you know where the nearest toddler group/coffee shop and that sort of thing would be around there?

PaulAnka - its East Craigs Rigg? And thanks for the heads up re the teenagers. Not the worse thing to have on your doorstep but good to know!

Anyone know Colinton?

Which bit of Colinton? I used to go to Firrhill High and grew up in the area but not Colinton itself. I'll help if I can.

There's a number of shops at Barnton junction: Cloudberry coffee shop, Barnton deli, hairdressers, Chinese takeout, 2 small supermarkets, post office. There are some shops at the redeveloped estate in East Craig's - a dentist & supermarket. Not sure about the new build estates, which has a separate entry road.

There are toddler groups at Cramond, Davidsons Mains & a few in Costorphine. I think there was one at the Queensferry Rd end of East Craig's, (Parkgrove) but not sure nowadays. There are lots of classes in Cramond Kirk e.g. Tumble tots.

Sorry have no clue re: Colinton!

Not much in East Craig's apart from houses. Another vote for Corstorphine. 10 mins on tram/bus into city, 10 min drive to airport/crammond beach. Gyle shopping centre (with m&s) and Hermiston gate retail park close by. Lots of toddler groups locally too and Corstorphine hill is lovely for walks with wee ones.

Corstorphine has a lot of toddler groups, East Craig/Craigsbank, St Thomas's, St Ninians and St Anne's all have something. There's a lot of activities and one thing Corstorphine is not short off is cafes. Cafe Viago, Rumbling Tum, Bon and Mimi's are my favourites.

Colinton - v good bus links into Edinburgh centre. Houses can be v pricey but keep an eye out - Bonaly (just next to Colinton) can be better value. Bonaly school v well thought of. Feeds into Firrhill or some children end up going to George Watsons if you're considering private at any time.

New Co-op being built in the village this year. Lots of toddler groups/activities going on in the church halls. V easy access to Pentland hills or Water of Leith cycle track - can cycle directly into city centre in around 40 mins w/out going on roads. Playpark in Spylaw park.

Just off bypass so easy transport links and only 20 mins from the airport.

On direct bus route or 10 min drive to Morningside/Bruntsfield where there are many, many cafes. Oh and the best Italian restaurant in Scotland is in the village centre - Dantes!

Good luck w the house hunting!

The area I live in ticks most of your boxes. Eskbank, 7 miles to the south of the city. Excellent bus links and a train (Borders line) that will take you to the borders (and into Edinburgh). Schools are good and it's a lovely area with beautiful houses. You can get a new build 4 bed in your budget. Lots of toddler groups in the local town as well as other local towns within a short drive/bus. Great soft play nearby too and country parks. Local town doesn't have Waitrose etc but has supermarkets (one is 24 hr) and all the necessities. You're not far from all that stuff in town anyway. You'll definitely get more for your money just stepping over the bypass like we did. For what we paid for our house (new 4 bed) we'd have got a 3 bed that needed work done in an area like Corstorphine (which is lovely though!). Remember that up here we have an offers over system with house buying (or fixed price). Houses in good school catchments can go 10%+ over valuation.

Thanks so much again all.

There are a few houses in the Bonaly area of Colinton that are just about doable with our budget. Sounds like it ticks all the boxes in terms of amenities, schools and location so thanks cairn

Corstorphine also very much on the radar but I hear what you're saying about house prices Heatherbell, we'd be looking at a 3 bed with potential to go into the loft or out the back. Passed through Eskbank on the Borders railway going up to the festival last summer so will check it out whilst when we're up in a few weekends time.

Will report back once we've had a nosey round

It is a commonly held myth that you cannot pull out once an offer has been accepted. You absolutely can, I have done so twice and you can do it right up to the missives being signed (equivalent to exchange).

You can pulll out after missives have been signed too. But if the vedors suffer a loss then they can sue you. Unlikely to happen in a rising market.

BTW i know because I had this done to me.

You're welcome! Good luck w the house hunting!

Another vote for South Queensferry here! Great local community and schools; village feel but lovely high street and lots of friendly cafes. 15 mins by train into Edinburgh. Best of both worlds.

East Craigs would be on my list, oh son lives here and he attends Craigmount. Great school. Lovely walking distance to Gyle ( great Marks and Spencer ) and the Corstorphine main shopping area. We live in East Lothian in a cheaper area, I'm From london and moved here pre children. I had no idea that my child was automatically allocated a school place, totally different from London and out of catchment requests are often rejected due to capacity. we are now desperately trying to move to for a better secondary catchment, as the local secondary isn't up to much from what I can see. Portobello is lovely too we spend most weekends visiting for a coffee and scoot along the prom but if money was no object it would be Corstorphine / East Craigs or Barnton for us x