Move Back Home to Glasgow?

[Somefantasticplace]

I was born and raised in Glasgow but have lived in the south of England for many years (husband's job, kids in school). I have close family on the southside and a large extended family all over the city.

My marriage has broken down and my kids are away at university, I'm in my fifties and I suppose I'm free to live and work where I like for the first time in decades.

During this time of being forcibly separated from my family in Scotland I've been thinking more and more about moving back home but I haven't lived in Glasgow for such a long time that I wouldn't know where to start.

If you could choose somewhere to live in Glasgow as a single, mature woman where would you go? I should make some money from the sale of my house here and be able to buy something almost anywhere in the city.

I'd like to be nearish to shops, restaurants etc. and decent public transport (train, underground, bus) would be a bonus.

I have to admit that the weather puts me off a bit but the thought of being able to spend time with family would make up for it.

Any thoughts/ideas would be really welcome.

@GallusAlice79 wouldn't touch Ibrox or Govan if I didn't know the area really well and was aware of football issues.

More great comments, thanks for responding folks 😁 I'm on the (menopause, mid-separation) night waking shift tonight as you can see.

@grumplass I get what you mean about deprivation but my family is in Glasgow and a big part of making the move North would be to see more of them so I'd want to be in the city somewhere.

@graphista I think we may have started out in the same place, I recognise the TV character

@GallusAlice79 I know Ibrox and Govan really well and they would certainly be close to my family but I don't think I'd feel as safe there just at the moment.

@LargeProsecco depending on how my current house sale goes I'd be hoping to have a budget of around £400k, and if in the west end or somewhere like Pollokshields I would be looking at one of the nice tenement flats.

I think that having spent the last 2 decades or so looking after everyone else I'm now thinking about the life I'd like to build for myself. I like the idea of being close to shops, music venues, nice delis, public transport and on the edge of some of the most beautiful scenery in the world.

The pandemic has stopped me seeing my family for months and has made me think about what really matters to me and question why I'd stay where I am when my children only need a base in the holidays and my relationship is over. Need to do some more thinking and look at jobs.

@Somefantasticplace

The comment about Ibrox/Govan was for Graphista who asked about cheaper places with bad reputations

With £400k you would be looking for a lot more than a typical tenement in the southside, and even most of the West End. If you like the idea of a tenement style property, you could look at Town Houses.

I don't know anything about living in the West End, but if you can afford it (which you can) then it probably ticks more boxes and if you're slightly nervous about moving back to Glasgow you will probably be less concerned there.

Here are some properties:

I found this property on the Rightmove Android app and wanted you to see it: www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-72373083.html

I found this property on the Rightmove Android app and wanted you to see it: www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-72989022.html

I found this property on the Rightmove Android app and wanted you to see it: www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-72596967.html

I found this property on the Rightmove Android app and wanted you to see it: www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-83696659.html

There are also a lot of new build properties in the West end, if that is of any interest to you. They are closer to your £400k budget.

@Graphista

Yes, I am sure it's only a matter of time before rents shoot up there. 10 years ago a 2 bedroom flat would have been around £500, if that. Now it's more like £650. But that's the case all over Glasgow these days, it's very popular!

Ok, here's the Southside;

Mansionhouse Court, Langside, Glasgow
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-72745050.html

Nithsdale Road, Glasgow
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-73972119.html

2/1, 10 Rawcliffe Gardens, Rawcliffe Estate, Langside, G41 3DA
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-97677125.html

9A Aytoun Road, Pollokshields, G41 5RL
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-98140514.html

St Ronan's Drive, Waverley Park, Shawlands
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-74278518.html

If you fancy a post-separation project the last one is in an amazing location near Shawlands but is quiet. It will go for way over the asking price probably.

You definitely get more for your money in the Southside.

I'd go for Strathbungo, Waverley Park, Newlands, parts of Pollockshields.

You've got a great budget & lots of choice.

Lovely properties. I'd try and bag something for £300k then have a nicer lifestyle. Whenever that's allowed.

Wow @LargeProsecco and @GallusAlice79 some of these properties look fabulous! Good point @titsbumfannythelot about not spending up to my limit, I suppose I'll have to think about what's most important to me.

It's a really long time (20 years+) since I bought a property in Glasgow. Are people still offering loads over the 'offers over 'price? I'd need to factor that in when thinking about what to view. And speaking of factors (see what I did there😁) what would I expect to pay in fees if in a tenement? So much to find out about, thanks for all your help

Factors fees - depends on the factors, check them carefully and when you do a viewing, look at the state of the close to get an idea of how good / bad they are. I wouldn't touch anywhere if the close isn't well-kept as it would suggest other issues. My building is a tenement nowhere fancy and we're c.£270 per quarter. Other factors are cheaper but many are just bawbags (wee bit of the lingo there for you) who are out to print themselves some money.

@iwishiwasonabeachnow thanks, and I really miss the lingo (along with square sausage and snowball cakes) :)

Sadly some of my relatives have had terrible factors and have had huge bills for work that were totally unexpected. It's the one thing that might put me off a tenement flat, even though some of them look gorgeous.

My factor is only £20/m & haven't had any complaints in nearly 20 years!

OP, if you can possibly go for an upper or lower conversion you can likely get a garden & avoid many of the disadvantages of tenement living (noise, shared repairs etc).

The West end has more students than the south side, which is worth being aware of too for noise etc.

For a 400K budget, I would buy something at 250-300K for your main residence & a BTL for 100-150K for income.

West end or I love the massive main door flats around forheringay road. What are your hobbies or intended hobbies?

Fotheringay road www.rightmove.co.uk/house-prices/g41/fotheringay-road.html?searchLocation=Fotheringay+Road

@LargeProsecco how much?? What dream factor is this?

YYY to noise in tenements. While you might get student noise in the West End, you could still get noise elsewhere from telly, hoovering, instruments, people shagging chatting, dogs barking and all the other joys of tenement life. It depends on your neighbours and flat layout though and it doesn't bother some people.

The video even looks like a tenement!

@LargeProsecco your factor sounds like a dream. I do like the idea of an upper or lower conversion, a wee bit of garden would be nice. I don't think I could face the stress of two properties at the moment, separating and divorcing are stressful enough

@Sakesman I'm hoping to get back into going to see live music of all kinds and I love cinema and theatre. I'm close to London now but it's far too expensive to go there to see things and it takes so long to get anywhere that I haven't really bothered. I like to be in the outdoors too so parks nearby would be great.

@LargeProsecco that video is hilarious It explains some people I lived below many years ago.

It will be a big change, not just the location but I'll be living alone for the first time in over 25 years so I want to be somewhere that I feel safe, that's my priority number one.

@readsalotgirl63

As a Southsider I would recommend Shawlands/Pollokshields and I daresay *@prettybird* will be along soon to back me up. Having said that - I now live elsewhere and would definitely consider the West end if I was to move back to the city.

And me!

We're near @prettybird and where @readsalotgirl63 was by the sounds of it and it's absolutely buzzing with life when not in lockdown

Moved from Ireland more than 10 years ago and would never move back.

I really think the West End is over rated, massively. We have a huge tenement in good repair and we'd have to add £150-£200k onto our mortgage to get the same in the West End.

I know you won't be worried about schools etc but the shopping is good, we hardly use the car and have a lovely group of friends. Parks are great and air is fresh and you can be in the country in 30-40 mins drive.

I think it would be a great move based on what you've said.

[quote Sakesman]Fotheringay road www.rightmove.co.uk/house-prices/g41/fotheringay-road.html?searchLocation=Fotheringay+Road[/quote]
We're round the corner and it's brilliant.

@Somefantasticplace - would you think about renting for a while?

It's a totally different kettle of fish up here, with no tenant fees or minimum term - you could take your time to find the right area. There are no 6 month terms up here - although don't tell the letting agents that one

BRUCE ROAD, GLASGOW, G41 5EN
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/property-74384991.html

Lochleven Road, Battlefield, Glasgow, G42
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/property-97843169.html

James Gray Street, Shawlands, Glasgow, G41
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/property-85937350.html

These are all nice flats in good areas. But would be well below your budget if buying - it would give you some breathing space before making a life-changing decision & commitment to buy.

Excited for you. In pollokshields you are walkable to pollok park, maxwell park, Queen’s Park and the tramway. And loads of train stations to choose from. There’s the film classes at the GFT which it sounds like you’d love. The arts are so plentiful, accessible and cheap in Glasgow. This kind of makes up for the pishy weather 😬. Be careful with conversions- I’ve found them noisy as.

“ serialreturner” one of my happy wee dreams is to be a retired pollokshields lady in one of those flats teetering over to moyra jaynes with my friends.

West end yeah ok but don’t imagine you’ll have a settled night sleep anywhere near Byres Road. I loved there as an adult and it was terrible

Kelvinside or hyndland....
Possibly

You just get so much more for your money on the Southside, compared to the west end.

So what you would pay for a 2-bed in Kelvinside gets you 3 beds in the Southside - and just as good amenities, transport links etc.

It's a no-brainer for me!

@Sakesman @LargeProsecco @Fannybawz @GallusAlice79

Rarely did 4 user names sum up Glasgow so well

Ha! My next username will have Bucky in it! 😭

Well spotted @serialreturner I grew up not far from Fotheringay Rd and can remember when Morrison's at Crossmyloof was an ice rink

With that budget I’d buy in the park quadrant new development. Or the ex bbc land off Queen Margaret drive or a penthouse in Finnieston.