Semi-immigrant family - where to live?

[Mushypeasandlemonjuice]

Hi,

I moved around the UK growing up and lived in Wales, England & Scotland but Scotland was where I felt most at home. Flash forward a decade spent living abroad and I'm planning to come 'home', this time with my family in tow and am trying to figure out where.

My husband will be on a spouse visa and is slightly Middle Eastern-looking so the anti-immigration mood is obviously a factor we need to consider. We have two high-school aged children - one interested in following an apprenticeship-based path, the other to uni. They're currently studying for IGCSEs and so would move into the Scottish system for Highers. Because of the spouse visa rules, we need a four-bed house and have a budget of maximum 220,000 (cash) so that's obviously a big factor in where we can come back to.

We currently live rurally and love the (off-grid, outdoorsy) lifestyle so in many ways, the Highlands would be a great choice but from an education perspective, somewhere within an hour or so of Glasgow/Edinburgh might be better and we'd be willing to switch to more city-living if needed.

Oh wise women of Scotsnet - where would you suggest? Rightmove seems to suggest our best choices would be somewhere on the West Coast, but I'm open to any suggestions.

I would disagree that it will be difficult to find 4 beds for that price - but you need to accept the compromises...

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/155983562#/?channel=RES_BUY
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/167069837#/?channel=RES_BUY
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/151983815#/?channel=RES_BUY

Omg! Sorry I'm just dropping in, somebody mentioned Annan - DO NOT MOVE HERE!! We are just finally escaping and moving away after 5 years (family of 2 adults and 2 young kids). Besides it being rampant with crime, badly behaved youths and druggies, you particularly mentioned your partner being foreign. Annan is absolutely full of racists! The British flags are smothered all over the town head to toe, I've seen coloured people be harassed in the streets for their skin, I overheard the manager of the farmfoods tell someone else he refused any Polish people who tried to apply for jobs with them because they're "horrible people". It's a vile little town full of bigots, I'm sorry but I can't overstate to you what an awful time we've had in this town and seeing someone mention it makes me scream nooooo!

Dumfries is a bit better, but still has issues. I think you'll find in there also isn't much to do around here at all. There's a reason the population is older, and most of the young people leave and never look back once they can. Oh also, Annan academy is so bad, they have to have Police stationed there constantly! Avoid avoid avoid.

You may get something in the Highlands but it probably would be a fixer up. I am in Inverness and in a large semi detached 3 bedroom (easily converted to a 4 though) and its worth about £245k but its very area dependant.

Cash buyers are definitely much more attractive buyers so that will really help. Is your husband working? If so it maybe worth looking at work propespects in the area as some employers are willing to help with work visas to.

Exactly. Strange requirement that it needs to be 4 beds!!

What about the Western Isles? I know its difficult to buy property there but it looks a beautiful way to live. Stunning scenery.

Dumfries and Galloway may be slightly cheaper for housing but there is a reason for that . Very little culture no major theatre or music venues . Terribly maintained roads mostly B class roads takes ages to get anywhere. Dumfries has very few shops and is very run down . The coast is nice but expensive as popular for holiday homes . Schools are limited with each town having one school so good or bad you are stuck with it . Doctors and dentists in short supply really hard to get registered and any significant health stuff has to be done outwith region.
As others have said East of region best for rail and motorway links so you would be looking at Lockerbie - decent housing stock or Eaglesfield is a pretty village not much going on for teens though . Easy commute to Carlisle for college / work though . Moffat is bonnie and a busy wee place but no station and housing pricey for what you get .
You need a reconnaissance trip up to tour the area.

As well at rightmove OP have a look at ESPC. I have put in 4 beds and your budget. A few have come up, especially in the borders. There are a couple in Fife. Rosyth and Thornton. Rosyth has good public transport, buses and trains. Easy access to Edinburgh, a good community and schools are fine. I don’t live far away in Dunfermline. The area has its ups and downs like most but it might be worth looking, just to get into the property ladder, back to Scotland and the kids through their exams. Then look at moving.

Currently in Rightmove there’s loads of properties that meet your needs and budget.

Some good areas such as Troon, Prestwick etc..

If one of your children wants an apprenticeship then being in the central belt increases his chances.

Troon/Prestwick will give you coastal/outdoor access that is commutable to Glasgow.

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/167851967

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/167899763

My family are based in West Lothian and are North African and not white passing at all. For context I was born and raised mostly in Edinburgh and moved here as a teenager.
You won't necessarily find a large community of mena folk here etc, but most people won't say anything about your family. There are some very unionist union jack flags up everywhere types here (before I am misunderstood here: nothing against the union jack or saltire etc, I would hope that what I am referring to is straightforward) but so far nobody has said anything to me as a mena looking visibly muslim woman.

The benefits i would say, are these:
Lots of green spaces/access to trails and parks.
Near enough to Edinburgh and Glasgow (depending on where you live)
Lots of nearby schools.

Livingston is quite big and has good amenities.

I'm not sure if this is helpful but that's been my experience living here so far!