Tell me about Barrhead please - moving house

[downthestrada]

After living all over Scotland (and abroad) I'm looking to settle down somewhere. A decent area with decent schools. We were looking at new(ish) build estates and the house should have a garage. Can't spend more than £245k really. Not looking to move immediately but our current home is too small going forward.

I was looking at the Aursbridge area in Barrhead but I've never lived in Barrhead. Is it ok for schools, safety, amenities? Is there anything I'm not considering?

There were also some houses in Airdrie that seemed ok with good schools nearby. It would be closer to our parents but I don't know much about Airdrie. I vaguely remember someone talking about the sectarianism there.

Right now, we're living in North Ayrshire and while I love it here and there are some decent housing schemes, the property values are not going up with the rest of Scotland. So, it doesn't seem like much of an investment.

I might be asking too much! Keen to know other people's opinions. Thanks.

Go for Neilston rather than Barrhead as it feeds into Eastwood High school not Barrhead HS.

Or the other East Ren catchments.

North Lan does have a big sectarian divide. It's cheap for a reason!

You pay for the catchments.

The family homes with garages in the good catchments will cost more.

What about Dunblane, Linlithgow, Strathaven?

Lenzie?

Or stay in N Ayr and go to Largs? Fairilie has new homes and is in Largs catchment.

Or Houston for Gryffe Academy?

If its down to Barrhead or Airdrie I'd pick Airdrie every time.
You would get much in the area's mentioned above for £245k

@Carebearsonmybed

Thanks. I'll have a closer look at all these places. I think they might be a bit out of my price range for what we're looking for. Maybe we need to make a bit of a compromise somewhere. I like the idea of Lenzie though.

@Spottyhousecoat Yeah, Airdrie is closer to both our parents. I'll look into it further. Was just a bit hesitant because of the sectarianism. Apparently, it's better now than it was years ago.

I was brought up in Airdrie and moved out when I was 20. My parents and most of my family still stay there. I honestly wouldn't recommend it. It's deprived and depressing and I can't wait to leave when I visit. The schools when I stayed there were good but I think that was reflective of Scottish education in the 80s. They are not good now.
It's really far away from Glasgow too which may or may not be a factor for you.
The whole sectarian thing is massive. I now stay far away from Airdrie I've not heard anyone mention catholic or Protestant faiths since I moved. Completely different from when I stayed there.

I have in laws who live in a new build estate on the edge of Airdrie, they seem to like it fine. They are not originally west coast people. There are probably more "incomers" in these types of estates though so possibly the sectarian thing isn't so much a thing? I think you'd be unlikely to get anything in Dunblane but might get something in Stirling. High schools are all decent (Bannockburn does the worst academically but might be a decent school for it's catchment?)

Transport into Glasgow and Edinburgh is straightforward.

Barrhead is fine but has had some issues with anti social behaviour recently, mainly teens wandering round causing trouble. I think the new build estates have been a good addition to the area. Neilston also okay although quite a small village - and everyone knows eachother or is related. There are also rumours with the new dams road & train station being built that Neilston primaries will be sent by train to Barrhead High in the next couple of years. How true that is I don't know but it doesn't seem too far fetched!

Why are you moving if you love it in North Ayrshire? Property prices are lower….great! Take what you would spend on a higher mortgage somewhere else and watch your wealth grow in a pension or a S&S ISA. Moving seems crazy if you love where you live now!

Thanks everyone for the info about Airdrie and Barrhead. Really useful, even if it makes me rule out an area.

@daisymoo2 The property prices in Ayrshire often don't increase/track at the same rate as the rest of Scotland, so it seems like a bad investment. I also thought it might be easier being a little closer to our parents in the East. Although, you may well be right that it's best to stay where I am. Everything's on our doorstep including a really good doctor's surgery. These things are important and the property will be cheaper so it's easier for us in the first instance.