5 best places to buy a house in Edinburgh

Marchmont is a popular area for rentals. Picture: Phil Wilkinson

1. City Centre

City centre period properties are always highly desirable, Close proximity to the financial district, universities, flagship stores, bars and clubs, key transport routes and the Capital’s iconic landmarks mean a home in the city centre will always perform well from an investment perspective. When looking for a buy-to-let period property the city centre is a location that should always be considered. When sourcing such properties we always look at occupancy and, with the high volume of students and professionals in the city centre, occupancy is extremely high. This represents an excellent opportunity for healthy return on investment. A three bed property in the city centre can command rents of up to £1350 per month.

2. Marchmont

An affluent area in the south of the Capital just 15 minutes from Princes Street, Marchmont was developed as a planned middle-class tenement suburb in the 19th century. There is a blend of Victorian and Edwardian buildings characterised by their tall ceilings, spacious rooms with fine period features including original fireplaces, cornicing and wooden floors. Flats in Marchmont are highly attractive and highly sought-after by both professionals and students. Two bed properties in the Marchmont area can be rented out for up to £900 per month.

The area boasts a wide variety of cafes and several bars as well as having excellent shopping facilities, local schools and transport links. The Meadows is also on its doorstep. We never source properties where the yields fall below six per cent and, in an area like Marchmont, this is achievable.

3. Newington

Newington is an area popular with students and known for its Georgian townhouses.

With the purpose built Pollock Halls of Residence for the University of Edinburgh, many students choose to stay in this area for the rest of their university years. With the main campuses in close proximity to Newington and an array of student-friendly bars and restaurants, this area makes for a good property investment. A one bed flat in Newington can be rented out for between £380 and £450 per month.

4.Bruntsfield

Brimming with specialist shops and boutiques, bustling bars, trendy coffee shops and restaurants, Bruntsfield is a coveted area within Scotland’s capital. Its leafy streets, grand architecture and array of imposing period properties make it one of the most desirable addresses with the equally appealing Morningside, Merchiston and Church Hill areas just a few minutes’ walk away. Transport links are in abundance as is expansive greens pace such as the Meadows and The Links, whilst the city centre is a mere 15 minute walk and the city bypass just ten minutes by car. Potential for rental income is also excellent here with three bedroom properties renting for up to £1350 per month.

There are top rated primary and secondary schools in close proximity as well as both the Merchiston and Craighouse campus of Napier University making the area popular with both families and students alike. Certain properties in the area have magnificent views of Arthur’s Seat making Bruntsfield one of the top areas out buyers scour on a daily basis looking for investment opportunities.

5. Morningside

A neighbouring district to Bruntsfield in the south west of Edinburgh, Morningside is steeped in history. Its main thoroughfare, Morningside Road, is an ancient route from the city to the West of Scotland whilst some of its most sought after addresses have biblical associations, such as Nile Grove, Jordan Lane, Canaan Lane and Eden Lane.

Known for its stunning Victorian houses and flats, Morningside is bursting with personality thanks to independent shops, eateries and bars as well as national names such as Waitrose, Marks and Spencer and Pizza Express. Morningside also enjoys excellent transport links with many of the city’s major bus routes running through it. Flats in Morningside are amongst the most sought after in Edinburgh the area is also home to the Morningside Campus of Edinburgh Napier University, making it yet another area popular with students. As with the other four areas on this list, Morningside flats can be rented out for £380 plus per room, per calendar month. At Grant Property, we always seek out investment opportunities where there is potential for high rental income.

Grant Property Investment is one of the UK’s top property investment and management companies and is ARLA accredited. For more information visit www.grantpropertyinvestment.com