Places to live in Glasgow- don’t drive

[MeerKitty]

Hi all,

I’m looking for ideas for areas to live in Glasgow.

Our top budget for a 3 bedroom house/ flat is £140 000. A garden is not in our “must haves”.

We would like to live somewhere which has amenities ( shops, parks, cafes etc) that we could reach on foot, and has public transport links to the City Center.

We are not keen on sprawling housing estates ( so East Kilbride is out) and would like somewhere with a community feel.

Any suggestions? Thanks in advance

Edit Looking for suggestions for areas in and around Glasgow- so “Greater Glasgow” too!

Pollockshields would be within your budget. Community feel but central. South side much more affordable compared to west end.

shawlands is nice

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-61931820.html

don't know much about this area but decent house for the money
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-62109462.html

Any area within the tube line is great for community and transport, with the southside being most affordable. Ibrox, Cessnock, Govan etc. However there are very few houses- most housing is tenement flats.

For your budget and a house you will probably need to look further afield - Kings Park, Croft foot, Cardonald, Hillington, Knights Wood.... Or even into the periphal housing estates, Pollok, Drumchapel etc. There is in my opinion a sense of community but there are also social problems and schools are not great.

You wouldn't be able to buy a house in Pollokshields for 140k. But don't dismiss the southside or East end flats. The tenements are big sturdy flats and both areas are awash with parks and green spaces and community projects.

I used to live in Shawlands. Where I loved did have a community feel and it is certainly near lots of amenities, a nice park and great for public transport. But I eventually felt there were lots of things I didn't like about Shawlands so I moved to somewhere quieter with less amenities on my doorstep. I did think about moving to Pollokshields but nothing was available in my price range at that time.

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-62034189.html

This is a lovely affordable flat in an area with a fantastic park nearby, a busy main street not too far away with great transport links.

Honestly, you won't get anywhere in the Shawlands, Langside, Battlefield area for 140k anymore. But you will in Denniston, Bellahouston, Knights Wood.

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-1

In fact this is the cheapest 3 bed flat in Denniston.

It's not a massive budget for a three bed house/flat.

You could consider villages/towns on main routes into the city. Lenzie, Bishopbriggs, maybe. Or Knightswood or Yoker.

This one has been on for a while. It should fit your brief:

Brisbane Street, Glasgow, G42
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-76031570.html

Similar duration with this

290 Kilmarnock Road, Shawlands, G43 2XS
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-64217987.html

I want to move to Knightswood, HA property so no budget issues but I really like it, my friend stays there.
I'm currently in Helensburgh.

I concur with Shawlands fitting your brief but I think you'd struggle to find somewhere in your budget, even without a garden

We used to live in a lovely 1bedroom tenement flat three roads back from Kilmarnock Road and loved it - and Shawlands has become even more vibrant since we left with lots more eateries and interesting shops. We moved to a house in Pollokshields (where we still are and love).

Also have a look at Battlefield and Mount Florida.

You haven't mentioned if schooling is an issue - but Shawlands Academy is an excellent school (as are most of its feeder primaries, although there is some variation).

prettybird I lived in Shawlands for 15 years, moved about 5 years ago. I was sad to see Waverley Tea Rooms closed:( Do you know if there are any plans for that building? Also it looks like they have done something nice with the pavement at Queen's park, Langside Halls.

Yes - it was sad that Waverley Tea Rooms closed and don't know what the plans are for it The investment in front of Langside Halls does look good

The flat in Deanston Drive that Teacupdrama linked to at the beginning of the thread looks good value. Reasonable area (only one street back from all the amenities on Kilmarnock Road and close to Queens Park ) and a more reasonable price because it's not one of the Victorian tenements (which I am a sucker for and it's no coincidence that we moved from a Victorian tenement flat to half a Victorian villa with the lovely high ceilings and big rooms)

We moved 20 years ago (next month) but I still went to Shawlands as ds went to Shawlands Academy (until last year) and I know lots of people who still live there.

The flat in Deanston Drive does look nice and it be handy for both primary and secondary schools.

I hope you find somewhere nice, op.

Hi folks,

Thanks for your suggestions.

I know 140k isn’t a lot of money, but it’s our max budget. It wouldn’t be our ideal scenario, but we could make do with a 2 bedroom for a few years if necessary.

The flat on Deanstoun Drive in Shawlands does look great - and the area looks great on google street view.

DerbyRacer- do you mind if I ask what it was you didn’t like about the area that made you leave?

I spent far to much time yesterday on street view😂. I’ve had a look at a few more areas:

Mount Florida
Govanhill
Pollokshields East
Rutherglen

They also seem to tick the boxes for amenities and transport. Has anyone lived there?

The areas

Cardonald
Knightswood
Yoker

Look only residential to me. They don’t seem to have what I’m looking for- a nice Main Street/ shopping area that can be reached on foot. I could be missing something though...

Villages suggested

Lenzie
Bishopbriggs

Could be limited for properties. I would need to live slap bang in the middle, rather than surrounding areas.

Woah- Bishopbriggs. What is on the market there is way over my budget! Ruling that one out for now

Be careful about Govanhill - lots of the area is really deprived That's not to say that there aren't bits that are ok.

If you are on Kilmarnock Road (or even very close on one of the roads that comes off it, like the first part of Skirving Street) it might be a bit busy. That vibrant cafe and night club scene can have its drawbacks

I'd definitely go and look at the one in Deanston Drive - it looks good value and, as I say, close to Queens Park which is a fabulous park

We were in Bellwood Street, which is another 2 streets back from Kilmarnock Road and spent 6 very happy years there before moving on to a bigger place (spent 2 years looking Northside to be closer to my parents and we thought for the schools thinking in advance before looking on the Southside and finding our current place the 1st night of looking and have been extremely happy with the schools )

Pollokshields East is mostly ok and a good community spirit. Albert Drive has lots of really good value Asian supermarkets and Nithsdale Road has fancy delis and cafés and a good butcher.

If primary schooling is a factor, make sure you're in the catchment for Glendale Primary. Not that Pollokshields Primary is a bad primary, but last time I checked it out, it was 98% English as an Additional Language (Glendale was/is 60% EAL but is also an exemplar of best practice on how to manage it and it actually enhances learning there).

Mount Florida is worth looking at, as is Battlefield. Someone suggested Denniston and I agree - it seems to be an up and coming area (As seen in the deli/bakery count )

I don't know Rutherglen very well but it does have a high street

...I'm very close to Pollokshields East (although I'm in the posher Pollokshields West ) and that's where I go for my local shops and to buy my spices and nuts and milk when I run out

I think the flat in deanston drive will go for a lot more than your budget
Have you visited EK?

The reason I suggested Bishopbriggs and Lenzie is that they tick the boxes for good transport into the city and have the "village" feel with everything within walking distance. They are expensive though.

What about further out? Helensburgh, Barrhead, Renfrew?

Problem with Renfrew is lack of a train service - you'd be reliant on buses.

Uddingston is just a couple of stops past Rutherglen, have a look around there maybe?

Eighth Street, Uddingston
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-81684710.html

When I read your OP, I automatically thought of Rutherglen. I've lived there. It has brilliant transport links and a community feel. Stonelaw Road has some lovely little cafes. There are great shops, supermarket, town hall/theatre, library, etc. It has a nice park and lots of activities for DCs eg sports clubs, cubs/brownies, musical theatre classes, etc. I lived there when I couldn't drive and it was perfect because I could walk to the local shops/supermarket/theatre but also jump on the train and be in the city centre in 15 mins.