Moving solo to Edinburgh: where to live?

[cluckandcollect]

I was born in Scotland but my family moved south when I was young and I'm currently living in the rural outskirts of Bristol. I'm 57 and about to finalise my divorce, at which point I'll be free to move on. I have no children to worry about and I am able to WFH, so there's nothing to hold me back. I have a friend in Edinburgh and visit the city a couple of times a year and I'm excited about the chance to move there for this latter stage of life.

I lived and worked in London for years before moving to the country with my soon-to-be ex. After a decade of rural life I want to live fairly centrally and take advantage of the history, culture, art, theatre and great bars and restaurants of a great city. Ideally I'd like to be within half an hour's walking distance of, say Waverley Station as a central point.

My friend lives in a quiet street off York Place. She's lived there for more than 20 years and the only property I could afford around there would be top-floor — not a great idea, really, as you get older.

I love the buzz of the city centre but I'm not sure I want it all day, every day. I'm also not sure, after Covid, that I want to be potentially trapped in a tenement flat with no access to green space.

I've seen a couple of low-rise late-90s/ early 2000s apartments for sale in the Morningside/ Colinton Road area that look like a compromise. Those areas don't have the city buzz I'm looking for and feel more suburban, but they do have trees and a quieter greenish outlook which will be easier to negotiate as I get older.

Are there other, as yet unexplored, areas that you think might fit the bill? If I were to rent for the first year where would you recommend?

I'd add Ravelston as an area to consider. Close enough to walk to shops and restaurants at Stockbridge, the modern art galleries, nice walks along the river, retail park with the big Sainsburys and so on.

espc.com/property-for-sale/edinburgh-north/ravelston

I wasn't aware that there was a 20% premium at the moment. I've seen quite a few places reduced, actually.

Being new to an area and needing to live in a place while it was done up I don't know if I'd be prepared to take on the Stockbridge property. I've done a couple of total renovation projects in the past and although you can add value the cost can be a killer.

My budget is up to £375k relatively comfortably. I could push higher but I'd have to work till I'm 70+ to make up for it. I'm quite minimalist and don't need a lot of stuff: hope to pare right down to a few beautiful things, a minimal wardrobe, that kind of thing. If I end up with somewhere really small then at least I won't be forever hosting friends and relatives and relatives of friends etc ad infinitum.

I'm trying to plan for the next 25 years. I've never been a high earner and I won't be inheriting, so it'll need to be somewhere I can keep the overheads lowish in the future.

I looked at this:

espc.com/property/28-2-fettes-row-edinburgh-eh3-6rl/35863684?sid=187397

Bit dull and featureless for me. And I'm put off by those boy racer cars outside. I instantly started hearing the doomph-doomph music and imagined being woken up at 3am as my young neighbours come in after a night clubbing... I've lived through all that in London, don't want to do it again.

Not sure about Leith. Liked it 20 years ago when it was a bit crumbly round the corners but not keen on all those identikit, high-density modern blocks going up.

Honestly, walking back late at night in the rain from the Traverse to the West End - stopping at the fish and chip shop about five minutes from my flat - now, that was happiness. I'd want to go on doing it for ever.

Also bear in mind parking which can be a nightmare in old properties if you have a car. Much of Edinburgh is on-street residents permit parking, in the streets of tenement flats you can be driving round the block trying to find a space and it's a nightmare if you have visitors.
Other than a modern flat with a balcony I think you'll struggle to get anywhere with private outdoor space for £375 in the areas we're talking about.
This is quite cute espc.com/property/27-hope-lane-north-portobello-edinburgh-eh15-2pu/35908979?sid=286520

I'd say that Fettes Row flat is a bargain!

Comely Bank, great location: espc.com/properties?locations=edinburgh_learmonth-court

Fettes row is a nice street, I've lived near there and the street itself is mostly pedestrianised, you won't get boy racers along it. Dundas street is a busy road. Very handy location - agree the inside is bland.

I wouldn’t like to walk from Edinburgh city centre to Murrayfield!

Have to go back to work now, but thanks for all the ideas. I've checked out the Fettes Row building more carefully: the Street View unfortunately shows you the back, which is never a good thing.

I'm thinking that blowing some money renting for the first year while I get to know the city better would be the best plan.

Glad that I'm not the only person to fantasise about Edinburgh and know that lovely feeling of being able to set off from the theatre or cinema on foot. The fish and chips on the way home sound great!

@BingBongToTheMoon

I wouldn’t like to walk from Edinburgh city centre to Murrayfield!

There you go: it didn't look too bad on the map!

Don't forget that lots of the central western areas of the city like Murrayfield, Roseburn etc are very well served by trams as well as buses. Public transport is so reliable that I would prefer a flat further out well served by transport than somewhere walkable. That's just me though, I currently live about 20 minutes walk from Princes Street and I hate how busy it is, even just now. So further out and quieter sounds good to me!

If you're willing to have a slightly longer walk to Stockbridge then Fettes Village and the newer development behind it would be within your price range. Really quiet estates and some of the upper flats have balconies for your bit of private outdoor space. It's about 30min walk into Stockbridge and similar to the west end of Princes St but also served by loads of buses and no permit parking issues.
espc.com/property/1-flat-6-kimmerghame-drive-fettes-edinburgh-eh4-2gj/35910789?sid=221899
espc.com/property/6-4-north-werber-place-fettes-eh4-1te/35896123?sid=221899
espc.com/property/1-3-north-werber-park-fettes-edinburgh-eh4-1sy/35880909?sid=221899
(this one is under offer but gives you an idea) espc.com/property/4-east-werberside-place-fettes-eh4-1sb/35897952?sid=221899
I think a lot of the flats that are on the market at the moment look quite bland as they've been rental properties and possible AirBnB type lets, so lacking the personal touch.

@BingBongToTheMoon

I wouldn’t like to walk from Edinburgh city centre to Murrayfield!

I would! It's less than 2 miles and if you don't want to walk both ways there's excellent bus services down the A8.

Renting is never a bad call - I hate waiting for buses in the cold and or rain and would rather walk. Good for your health too if you can do it.

Fettes isn't boy racer territory, it's cobbled for a start. That Manor Place one is lush but it will go for half a mill. Crazy times. Edinburgh is very buoyant right now, although flats aren't as hot as houses.

Renting first isn't a bad idea because it gets you up here, means you'll do the paring down, and means you'll be able to act quickly when the right thing comes up. But let's keep posting suggestions cos I've already moved into Manor Place in my head!

Yes budget is key.

I live rurally but with your budget you can get something quite reasonable if you are happy not to live in a detached house.

For example what about a garden flat? I would consider Bruntsfield - you have the Links and a nice buzz about it. Morningside is great (not at the moment but it will return!) the newer properties are reasonable value IMHO. Stockbridge is always popular as lots of lovely green space and a village in the centre. I adore Portobello and the transport is amazing although it can be a little rough at night. I don’t personally like Leith but the Shore is popular.

Also places like Shandon. You can get a colony house - small garden - for your budget.

I have heard rumours that lots of ex Air BnBs for sale just now and prices dropping. A good time to buy

Comely Bank?

That Manor Place one OP is lovely.

I would also consider Corstorphine, along from the Zoo. Great transport, near the airport, but not walkable from the city Centre.

Love the Manor Place Property.

How about Roseburn?
espc.com/property/17-1-roseburn-maltings-edinburgh-eh12-5lj/35897139?sid=848289

This would be lovely. Just along from Haymarket Station
espc.com/property/b24-the-playfair-at-donaldsons-edinburgh-eh12-5fa/35910624?sid=369880

I used to live in Corstorphine village and regularly walked home from the city centre and it's a lot further than Murrayfield. Can't say I always still had my heels on by then to be honest but I was usually sober when I got back!

OP have you spoken to an estate agent regarding the offers over situation? It would probably be useful. That property at Manor Place is going to go for significantly more than the offers over price, realistically I would be anticipating a property like that going for £500k - £550k if not more, it’s prime location and has private parking. It will also be dependent on the number of notes of interest.
Have a look at Zoopla to see what other properties in the same street have sold for when considering a property.

That one's just a bit too small, even for me, GetOutofBed25! Haven't had guests forced to edge past my bed as they come in the front door since I was a student.

The Roseburn flat has a bit of something about it and would be spacious enough for me to be able to work from, though not sure about the cars parked almost directly outside the windows. But yes, can imagine living there, cooking in the kitchen, having people round for a drink, cooking a meal. And it appears to link to a green area that you can walk through to get into town. Though all those railway lines might mean it's a bit noisy. I'm so ruddy fussy...

By the way, the stylish compact 1-bed in Murrayfield turns out to be McCarthy and Stone. So a) I'm not old enough to buy it and b) even if I were, most of my retirement income would be eaten up in service charges leaving nothing for fun, holidays etc.