Nice, affordable areas within commuting distance of central Edinburgh

[user1463172942]

Just that!

I have the possibility of a job move to Edinburgh. I have been watching threads about this with interest on here but the areas that often come up Morningside, Merchiston area are way out of my price range. The move is worthwhile, I will immediately be on about £12k more and have much better long term prospects (I'm only mid 30s so this is important)

I am a LP with 3dc and need to think about schools. I am considering the Steiner school for my eldest, he is at an 'alternative' school now and is much happier after difficulties in a mainstream primary. My younger two love school so generally good state schools will be great for them.

I would need to be a able to commute into the city in under about 30-40 mins to make childcare etc doable.

I will probably rent long term, my budget is £1000 per month (ish) and I need 3 bedrooms.

Is there anywhere I should look at or would I be stuck with really down and out areas because it's such an expensive place? Thanks.

Look at the number 44 bus timetable - the bus from Balerno takes a LONG time to get into town!!

Weegies would say the same thing about Edinburgh Wankers

I love Edinburgh as a place to visit, but I much prefer Glasgow as a place to live and the people are friendlier

Plenty of culture: Scottish Ballet and Scottish Opera both based here, great museums and art galleries (Kelvingrove and the Burrell although the Burrell is shut for refurbishment until 2020, the Museum of Transport, GOMA)

Edinburgh Festival easily accessible by train but don't have to suffer the crowds

I will accept that the weather is better in Edinburgh: colder in winter but drier in summer

Ah bus route notes noted.

I think it is the laid back feel of Edinburgh that I like, although not having visited Glasgow really I don't know how it compares. We live in Liverpool which is a great city with lots to offer but has a slightly 'frantic' vibe if that makes sense. The Glasgow options sound quite similar to where we live now, but it is quite well set up for family life e.g. Transport etc. I think I fancy somewhere with a different 'feel'. Have to be practical too I suppose.

Will have a busy weekend

Weegies would say the same thing about Edinburgh Wankers

Yes, but only one of us would be right!

and the people are friendlier This is myth - Glasgow people are certainly nosy-er and louder (if we are doing stereotypes) but I wouldn't say they were friendlier.

Fwiw. We visited Liverpool recently and really really liked it. I found it quite relaxed but then we hung about down at the docks a fair bit and being on holiday does mean you are a bit more relaxed anyway. I felt very comfortable aout and about at night (even on my own) in a way I never feel in Glasgow.

Sorry if Glasgow people feel I am being horrible - it's not personal, I just can't help how I feel about it though. Also it's probably that I already know the rougher bits of Edinburgh to avoid which I don't know about Glasgow.

I wondered about that... do I feel like Edinburgh is really laid back cos I'm only there when on holiday

Might not feel the same on a Monday morning with school run/brekkie club/commute/work ahead of me!

Have a good look into the Steiner school, it's ethos and some personal experiences first before basing your whole decision on that school.

The west end in Glasgow and East Dunbartonshire are well worth exploring.

Will do sleepy, starting with a Glasgow fri night/sat.

The borders railway recently reopened allowing easy commute from the Scottish Borders to Edinburgh.

I live 30-40 minutes from Edinburgh in a very nice commuter area, good schools and amenities etc. I'm outside the city boundary but just. We'll be renting our house out next year when we move to Oz and I'd be expecting £1200 for ours - 4 bed though and brand new. On your budget you could rent where I am; places like Morningsude, Colinton, Balerno etc are quite expensive. You don't have to go too far outside the city boundary for it to become cheaper.

Also I'm on the Borders rail line (20 mins into centre) but there are lots of affordable places on the East Lothian rail line too like Musselburgh, Prestonpans etc

I wondered about that... do I feel like Edinburgh is really laid back cos I'm only there when on holiday

Last Monday morning we were in Edinburgh having breakfast in a cafe on Coburn Street watching the world go past the window - chilled as fuck! :o

I did say the friendlier bit very much tongue in cheek (I was going to say "You'll have had your tea" )

IMHO, people are friendly or not wherever you go; it's up to how you interact with them. I've lived all around the world (ok, various places in England, Uni in St Andrews, France - Paris and near Avignon, Switzerland, NZ) and made friends in all those places. People are people

Even though we've never met, I'm sure in RL we could be friends, even though there are certain issues we disagree on (while we enjoy plenty of or )

I'm sure pb :) I have loads of Glaswegian friends, honest! Hate gin though, think it's the same gene that means I hate coriander etc.

People are people as you say.

Better make it then (dh and I run a wee hobby wine business, specialising in South African wines )

:) I don't really drink very often. I filled up the wine rack for Christmas and it's still just about full. Been on holiday all week and still not had a drink.

Balerno nice. Also Currie which is just next door and slightly closer on the bus route.

Did I mention Linlithgow? 😄

Fairmilehead, swanston, buckstone, corstorphine, craigmount, east Craigs, Portobello...all lovely areas, decent schools and you'd find something nice in budget (top end).

I went to the Steiner school in Edinburgh and it was fab.
As for areas you could live in, check out Buckstone, Fairmilehead, Linlithgow, Tranent, Musselburgh, Dalkeith and Penicuik

Corstorphine/Carrick Knowe/Broomhall has good schools and quick and easy access into town. It's about 10 minutes in the tram, longer on the bus, but the train at South Gyle is 11 minutes or so into Waverley.

If you're thinking about Steiner then I would aim for the South West probably- I'd look at Colinton and Colinton mains, Bonaly - anything in the firhill catchment. There's also a few at the edges of Morningside - streets called Craighouse something - where there's a bunch of typical 80s and 90s flats that don't get the usual Morningside premium. Comiston is just past Morningside and worth checking out

Other areas which have decent schools and 3 beds in budget
Baberton - juniper green primary and currie high.
Edges of Corstorphine and east Craigs, all schools fine
Randomly, there's an area called Ravelston which is hideously expensive and largely filled with expensive huge houses but there's a wee cluster of boring 70s blocks in there, one came up in my search. We actually considered buying one a few years back. Blackhall primary and royal high which are both very well regarded www.citylets.co.uk/property-rent/ravelston-east-court-eh4-439806/

Try Dalkeith/Bonnyrigg/Lasswade as well. I rent 5 miles from Bonnyrigg for £695 pcm, 3 bed detached period cottage with enormous garden. Commute is about 40 mins on the X31 bus.

'Edinburgh just seems more relaxed and cosmopolitan.'

Interesting to see different perspectives. Edinburgh seems far more provincial to me than Glasgow. Not cosmopolitan at all.

Gee wankers a bit of a generalisation there!

Wishaw Newmains motherwell Shotts area are easy to commute to Glasgow