Flora Stevensons catchment - where to rent with a family?!

[HouseOfConkers]

Hello mumsnetters,

We are moving to Edinburgh in the v near future and I'm starting to panic (a bit)

Our house in Leeds has just sold stc, so naturally im avidly on rightmove and espc looking for rentals. We have narrowed the area down to stockbridge and comely bank. Want to rent initially for a year or two so we can get to know the area / market. Liking the sound of flora stevensons, they have space (at the minute) for my son who will be going into P1. We also like the look of the apartments that you can rent in the catchment area (slightly bigger than those of aforementioned stockbridge but if I'm wrong please tell me!)

I've checked every street and catchment crescent to within an inch of my life. I suppose what I just would like to know after speaking to the landlady of one of the flats I've seen is... do many families rent? Live in stairs? Or will we be surrounded by young professionals? Not that I mind but would be nice to have families as neignbours too?! Any streets in particular to avoid? Sorry for all of the questions. I'm starting to panic that we may not have picked the right area. Please reassure me we havent!

Budget is 1300 to 1500 a month max as we would like to keep saving to top up our deposit for when we do buy. Am I asking for too much? Will we be in a shoe box? Theres myself, hubby works away during the week, eldest son is 5 and baby boy q2 months. Any advice greatly appreciated

Thank you for reading xx

*Baby boy is 12 months

Also, dont mean to be derogatory about the shoe box, its was said in jest. To be honest I'll be happy to, I'm so excited to move up there, I adore Edinburgh and feel v lucky to be able to move and bring our children up there :) x

Congrats on the house sale and good luck with the move.

I think the first thing to consider is whether you see yourself living in the centre-ish of the city long term? Can you afford to buy in a reasonable distance to the school? Obviously kids are brought up in the city centre as there is a school full of them :) however I guess it depends on what type of flat you could get and what type of activities you want to do. Think about where you might store bikes or even at the moment where you'd put your buggy etc, dragging a toddler a buggy and pissed off 5 year old and some shopping up 2 or 3 flights of a new town stair won't necessarily be something you'd want to be doing regularly.

It would be a shame to get him settled in school and then move shortly after as you'd like a bit more space/more suburban living.

Where would your DH be working? In the centre of town?

Thank you @WaxOnFeckOff, totally agree with everything you have said. Especially the part about getting my 5 yo settled in a school then deciding against the area.

Where we live now is quite rural. Outskirts of Leeds in a pretty village. I love the greenery here but feel isolated and theres nothing to do. I'd like to be able to walk to a coffee shop, meet other mums, shop for groceries nearby. I have to get in a car to do anything and everything here and it drives me insane.

Husband will be working either at the airport or flying out of it, Europe mainly. I dont plan on going back to work until my youngest is at school, by that time my brain may have well eroded but at least I know the peppa pig episodes off by heart, should a job vacancy come up that requires such a skill.

I'm quite liking the look of bruntsfield too, a friend in the village where I live now raves about it and lived there after uni. Also by the looks of it could get a bit more for our money when it comes to buying and the schools seem excellent.

Weve looked at cramond and I really do like it but again it feels a bit too out.

There are lots of areas like that in Edinburgh as it absorbed villages into the city. I grew up there but live in Stirling now and as it's a small city, everything is on the doorstep. Also a lot of communities just outside the bypass.

My main concern would be that there might be a high proprtion of DC from the more affluent areas in town that go private. Edinburgh has a really high proportion of DC in the private sector. That said, the best place to meet people is that the school gates, there are bound to be other people in your boat with similar ages of DC that you could be friendly with.

Bruntsfield/Morningside is a good shout for similar vibe to Stockbridge/Comely Bank. I know the south/west of the city better than the north. I'd say for your DH you'd be best either looking at West side or in reach of bypass for the airport.

Personally. I'd go just a little further out eg Blackhall, where you can still walk to the retail park at Craigleith & into Comely Bank/Stockbridge but are in a better catchment for schooling at secondary level (assuming it's a long term move).

There are plenty of toddler/baby/activity groups in both areas.

The parking would also put me off tenement living - unless you would be in a modern complex with residents parking? Nothing more frustrating than being unable to park outside your flat, so having to drag children & shopping several streets.

Stockbridge and Comely Bank flats are lovely, but parking is a nightmare! Likewise, Bruntsfield, Morningside etc. Too much faff for me when kids were young. We are considering retiring to one of these areas though!

Craigleith is in Flora’s catchment. Most properties detached/semis with driveways. It’s family area and nice. We have friends living there and Floras highly regarded. Broughton High mixed reviews.

Amongst friends group, Corstorphine Primary, Roseburn Primary, Craigmount High and Royal High are all well thought of. Murrayfield and Corstorphine are nice areas to live, easy transport to airport and town. Multicultural areas.