Views on Moving to Leith?

[razor11]

We'd like to move to Edinburgh City Centre, but simply cannot afford it (market seems to have gone wild).

We are therefore considering other locations that have decent access to the Centre, but also their own community/infrastructure (decent places to go out, supermarket, etc.). We'd like an apartment (flat to you and me), modern (low maintenance) with parking.

What do you think of Leith as an alternative? Anything to watch out for? Alternatives?

Thanks

[s2kjock]

Would probably need to know more to be honest, ie are you talking about flats, what price range and size, and by "City Centre", how close do you mean?

The market varies quite a bit in respect of the above and what you are looking for depending on which direction and how far you want to be from Princes Street.

[razor11]

Thanks. I was hoping for an insider's view of Leith.

[Gramrugby]

Have you ever been to Leith, or is this a speculative enquiry based on it's location to the city centre ?.

[AndrewEH1]

Edinburgh resident here.

Leith has some lovely areas, but also a few places I personally wouldn't want to live. It's definitely not as rough as it was 10 years ago!

Budget would help? Rent/Buy?

Edited by AndrewEH1 on Wednesday 5th April 11:38

[PaulJC84]

I bought my first flat there while I was at uni and have lived there for 10 years now. Definitely always improving.

Leith links is nice and the shore area. The top 2 thirds of leith walk is a lot better than the bottom section.

Leith has masses of great restaurants and over the past 2 years leith walk the restaurants and bars have improved massively also.

I like that Leith feels out of the centre but it's not really that far. I walk to work right in the centre in 30 mins and if it's raining I hop on a bus and there are loads.

Security wise I have always been fine but we do have gates and neighbours have reported push bikes being stolen when the gates were broken. But i don't think that's Leith only issue.

I think Leith has a bit of a reputation and a lot of people who live in Stockbridge or Morningside would never consider it but they are missing out.

[razor11]

Much appreciated. We've been to Leith a few times and, as you say, it seems a nice place while still accessible and apparently more affordable than the city centre. We will extend our search area.

[marcus1875]

Hi,

Leith is great! I would say that though, I was born here!
The heart of Leith has been removed over the years though, the soul is missing. Instead of a vibrant place it is more genteel. The pubs are certainly worse than they used to be, now any "dodgy" place is hidden beneath a coat of paint and a silly name, just harder to spot.
As to buying here, I'd stay well clear of the newer developments, unless you want to live in a cramped, poorly designed/ built flat/townhouse, pay a premium for it and also have the pleasure of paying £80 - £100 a month for some firm to "factor" the place.
You're on P/H so I assume you have a decent motor, if it is more "exotic" I assume a garage would be wanted, that might be hard to find, even a drive might be. But the newer builds mostly have "secure" parking.
Marcus

[malks222]

I know how crazy the edinburgh property market is- but luckily we get the keys to our first place in stockbridge/new town tomorrow! but for an idea how hard it can be- offers over £285k, valued at £300k, sold for £350k!!!! and that was in trinity. we were 'lucky' (?!?!!?) that we managed to get a 2 bed main door flat for £15k over valuation, which i think was pretty good.

anyway- leith is definitely going through its 'gentrification', just take a walk from the top of leith walk down towards leith and look at all the new cafes/ bars/ restaurants..... it is a much nicer place than it was over the past few years.

but there are still a lot of places you really wouldnt want to live, my gf works in leith and there is a street she just refers to as 'junkie-ville' with pawn shops, pound land and greggs the bakers.....

what sort of budget do you have? there are a lot of areas around the city that are affordable.

[RRLover]

The sun always shines

[razor11]

Congratulations on getting your place malks222. Echoing your comments about the frenzied state of the market, we bid very strongly on one place in the last month and were an 'also-ran' coming 10th out of 12. A few weeks ago we bid again, on a City Centre flat and bid even more strongly, only to come 2nd. Now we've seen a place in Leith, hence the question. However, it seems to be under offer, despite only being on the market for less than a week and agent saying they have had a lot of interest - the offer therefore seems to have been very attractive.

Thanks for the general positive remarks on Leith. We will keep trying...although wife seems to have spent part of the pot on a new car - a decent consolation prize.

[malks222]

thanks, we feel very lucky to have managed to buy what we have so quickly. We only started looking at the beginning of february and moved in on Friday!

One thing I would say is- dont be down hearted about your offers. I know estate agents/ solicitors will make you believe that everything is selling for 20% over valuation..... but i'll give a quick run down of what me and some friends have experienced:

2 bed (plus box room) main door flat in new town/ stock bridge. offers over £325k, valued £350k. went on market friday, viewed sunday, offered £360k on the monday- was told they wanted £385k to take it off the market, but were setting a closing date of friday....... upped offer to £365k (solicitor advised that she'd prob get her £385k) and were the winning offer of 2 bids.

2 bed morningside flat (friends selling): offers over £190k, valued £200k, highest offer received on closing £205k and accepted.

2 bed inverleith row (friends selling): offers over ££320, valued £350k, on market for 3wks with not many viewings and no bids or offers, changed to fixed price £350k and sold. They had already purchsed another property and couldnt hang around.

2 bed detached bungalow corstorphine (friends buying): cant remember exact figures, but they managed to buy for £5k under the valuation price.

Dont get me wrong, I'm by no means saying my sample of 4 properties is representative of the whole edinburgh market. But just saying not everything sells for crazy money over valuation. stick with it!

[razor11]

Thanks for the encouragement. Mrs is off to look at another one tomorrow. I have to work and we don't want to hang around in case we like it. We will let you know how she gets on.