Where to buy in Dundee

[moominmagda]

Any Dundee residents here? What are the best areas of Dundee to live in?

We have a 6-year old daughter so would like somewhere with a good primary school.

We're hoping to move by this summer.

Broughy Ferry

Broughty Ferry.

Thanks both.
Sadly there doesn't seem to be much on the market in Broughty Ferry.

West End is ok too. I would suggest looking at the SIMD map - the one that shows areas of multiple deprivation. Pick a blue area, check the schools and you're good to go!
Dundee is a lovely place but odd in that many "nice" areas are often only a street away from some less nice areas. It's all about local knowledge and picking your street - which is why the SIMD map is a good place to start.

You could also choose to live on the outskirts or in a satellite village - Ballumbie, Murroes, Liff, Birkhill, Auchterhouse. I've done both - but I love the city more ❤️

There are many areas in Dundee that I would recommend, grew up in Broughty ferry and have lived in numerous areas while studying and bringing up family.

What's your budget and what do you want to be near? We are a 10 min walk into town and love where we live, can be down in the ferry in 10 mins or out in the country side in 10 mins. We live in Maryfield and love the community here. Children are happy and doing well in schools and the remote teaching has been amazing, very well supported. Friends are happy with where they are near Ancrum Road (good for working at Ninewells).

The ferry, west end, Perth road area. Anywhere in north east/east neuk Fife is great too, and good transport links.

@Heffapotamus

West End is ok too. I would suggest looking at the SIMD map - the one that shows areas of multiple deprivation. Pick a blue area, check the schools and you're good to go! Dundee is a lovely place but odd in that many "nice" areas are often only a street away from some less nice areas. It's all about local knowledge and picking your street - which is why the SIMD map is a good place to start.

That's great advice, thank you. I didn't know about SIMD (we're moving from Cornwall so a lot to learn about Scotland!)

@Notthisnotthat

There are many areas in Dundee that I would recommend, grew up in Broughty ferry and have lived in numerous areas while studying and bringing up family.

What's your budget and what do you want to be near? We are a 10 min walk into town and love where we live, can be down in the ferry in 10 mins or out in the country side in 10 mins. We live in Maryfield and love the community here. Children are happy and doing well in schools and the remote teaching has been amazing, very well supported. Friends are happy with where they are near Ancrum Road (good for working at Ninewells).

We have up to £450k to spend. We're both working from home but I'm hoping to start a part-time MSc at Abertay later this year (it'll be a 3-year course) so easy access to the city would be a bonus. The little one would be going to a state school for now, but we're saving up for secondary education at High School of Dundee. Maryfield sounds good, thank you, will look it up.

I live in dundee, in a niceish area but a 5 minute walk either side your in a less nice area. I think the majority of areas are like that though!

I would say Broughty Ferry too - we moved here from Edinburgh with our now 6 year old. Great community, great primary school, and we could've have been in a better place during these lockdowns.

As Heffapotamus said, there are bad areas right beside good throughout the city (I've lived in loads of places and it's been the same, Edinburgh being a great example). I'm from Dundee originally so knew where I wouldn't want to live. DH isn't so was finding amazing houses which weren't in great areas. For you I would look at the ferry, West End, the east end of Menzieshill, Invergowrie, and don't rule out Tayport or Newport - they're nice areas for young families, just over the bridge and its just minutes into the city from there.

*couldn't have been in a better place!

With your budget, you can't really go wrong in Dundee. Our neighbours kids go to the High School and the kids love the independence of being able to hope on a bus to get to school and not be restricted to the buses on offer through the school. It's also not too far a walk from the sports facilities off the Arbroath road.

The high school transport is pretty decent, so don't discount surrounding areas.

450k will get you a massive house in Dundee! Its a funny city for buying, its got small pockets of bad very close to good areas. There's some gorgeous houses on the Perth Road. The area around about constitution Rd has some lovely houses,and its very close to town, just up the hill from Abertay!

The West end is nice, but seems to be mostly flats to me. As a PP has suggested, there's some great little outlying villages like Auchterhouse, Couper Angus, Meigal etc

I liked looking on TSPC.Co.uk, its a local property website that covers a few different estate agents.

I love this house, under offer now mind, but its gorgeous!

www.tspc.co.uk/5-Bed-Semi-Detached-Villa-For-Sale-77-Constitution-Road-Dundee-DD3-6JF

Your budget would also stretch to nice houses over the bridge, transport to Dundee is easy and give options for Dundee high school or St Leonards in st Andrews.

Don't discount Forfar OP.

You get a lot more for your money up here than in Dundee.

My DC's are at HSD, and got the school bus when they were at Junior School, although they get public transport now (or did before Covid), their bus is at 8.10 & they're at school by 8.50.

Have a look at this:

www.tspc.co.uk/4-Bed-Detached-Villa-For-Sale-Mansefield-Aberlemno-Forfar-DD8-3PD

If you have any questions about school, please feel free to DM me.

Personally I would hold put for Broughty Ferry- rent for a bit if need be.

Thanks so much for all the comments and suggestions, we will widen our search area to include Forfar and areas over the bridge.

I'm feeling so much more positive about the whole move now, it's great to get some inside knowledge about the area and the schools.

And TSCP, wow! Now I understand why we couldn't find anything on Rightmove. All the good houses are on TSCP!!

Try Newport / Wormit / Tayport.

I don't have primary aged children but Wormit is supposed to be the better primary school but it is probably pretty marginal. In the catchment area (secondary) for Madras in St Andrews which is getting a shiny new school in August. Easy hop to Dundee and walkable across the bridge although there are plenty of buses,especially from Newport.

Try FifeSPC too.

One thing to bear in mind is that the Tay road bridge can be closed. Unfortunately and sadly all too often. It’s a long way round if you can’t wait.
I would look in Angus, beautiful county and I think one of Scotland’s well kept secrets.

My work offices are in an old house on Perth Road - some lovely buildings there. My friend lives in Balmerino which is gorgeous but quite exclusive. Wormit, Tayport and Newport are also nice on the Fife side.
Coupar Angus, Arbroath, Carnoustie all options

I’d use some of that house budget to just put him in DHS now.

Most of the high school pupils come up through the primary so it can be hard for a newbie joining in 1st year and trying to fit into 7 year long cliques. It depends what kind of child he is though. I wouldn’t subject any but the most confident or outgoing DC to that obstacle.

Drop your house budget a bit and you can still get a smashing house in a lovely area.

@HouseOfGoldandBones

Don't discount Forfar OP.

You get a lot more for your money up here than in Dundee.

My DC's are at HSD, and got the school bus when they were at Junior School, although they get public transport now (or did before Covid), their bus is at 8.10 & they're at school by 8.50.

Have a look at this:

www.tspc.co.uk/4-Bed-Detached-Villa-For-Sale-Mansefield-Aberlemno-Forfar-DD8-3PD

If you have any questions about school, please feel free to DM me.

Thanks for that, I had a look at the school bus services and they look good so will definitely search further out now.

That house's tempting by the way.