At home with a real ESPC buyer: Charlotte Barbour

Back in January 2018, senior copywriter Charlotte Barbour and her partner Dave were making plans to buy their first home together, and for them, there was only one location in mind: the burgeoning property hotspot of Leith.

Search all properties for sale in leith

“I’ve always been quite picky about what I look for when it comes to most things, and flat hunting was no different!”, says Charlotte. “I wanted to be based in Leith, but wasn’t married to certain area within it. I was also very strict about living above ground level with good natural light, after two years at university in a less-than-ideal (cold, dark and mouldy!) basement flat for two years!”

Location wasn’t the only thing on Charlotte’s mind, as she was hoping to find a period property packed with charm and quirky details. “I had my heart set on an old tenement rather than a new build, as I love the period features of old buildings – I was always chasing cornicing, high ceilings, original floorboards and big, bay windows! I grew up in an old house, and lived in old flats during my time at university in Glasgow, so I’ve always felt so much more at home in older buildings, and I’m drawn to all their architectural relics. It sounds extremely clichéd, but I do love the idea of places and buildings that tell a story – of the people who lived there before you, changes that have been made over the years - and most importantly, the kind of chapter you’re going to write there.”

With a location set in stone, and a wish list in mind, Charlotte and Dave set out to find a property that ticked all of their boxes. The couple turned to ESPC to help with their search, as Charlotte explains: “I was completely addicted to the ESPC website and used to check it several times a day when flat hunting. It’s such an easy site to use and I like how it remembers your previous searches and the filters and budget you applied, which saves a lot of time - especially if you’re on it a lot!”

Luckily, their search didn’t take too long, with Charlotte’s ideal property, an original tenement flat built around 1890, in their perfect postcode, appearing on ESPC in early March, and she was quick to act. “I found it on the ESPC website one afternoon, and organised a viewing for that evening! After missing out on a couple of lovely properties, I pushed for a viewing before the owner had really started offering them, and put in an offer the next morning.”

The pair knew immediately this was ‘the one’, as Charlotte tells us: “It was the first place that ticked all the boxes and was within our budget. The big, homely kitchen definitely won my heart, as did the bright and spacious living room.”

Although it was perfect on paper, the property wasn’t without some compromises along the way, with Charlotte and Dave finding early in their search that they’d have to abandon their dreams of a two-bed property, switching their ESPC search to find a one-bedroom home instead. “We have one bedroom and a box room in this flat, and while it’s been a compromise from what I originally had in mind, it’s worked out well for us so far!” Charlotte says.

After getting the keys in June 2018, Charlotte and Dave set to work putting their own stamp on the place, starting with the kitchen. The couple swapped the pale green walls for white, tiled some sections and sanded the oak cabinetry before painting it an on-trend blue hue. They also replaced the faux-granite worktops with solid wood, and used the leftovers to create new wooden shelves for additional storage. Talented Dave has also recently created a window seat in the kitchen space, making the most of the natural light pouring in, and the couple have enjoyed their more relaxed approach to personalising their first home.

“We spent every last penny of the savings we had purchasing the flat, so our renovations have pretty much all been DIY!”, says Charlotte. “The only thing we’ve had professionally done was the sanding of the floors in the bedroom, living room and box room, which has helped to modernise and brighten the space up a bit. It’s easy to fall into a Pinterest hole and get caught up in current trends, or what other people are doing, and I definitely put a lot of pressure on myself to meet my mental expectations of the finished flat as quickly as possible. While it’s good to have an idea of what you like, it’s important to be a bit organic and flexible with it, too. I learnt to go with the flow and buy things that I liked, rather than trying to stick rigidly to a ‘theme’, or basing my interior choices on someone else’s Pinterest board. It’s surprising what can come together when you use your imagination - and you’ll end up with a place that’s more original, and more authentically ‘you’!”

Despite finding their perfect property, this adventurous pair made the decision to up sticks and try something new, when an opportunity to relocate to Vancouver came up in November 2019. Their time away gave them a chance to reflect on the home they’d created together, as Charlotte explains: “My favourite thing about our home is the space and airiness. It was definitely something I missed while living in a modern shoebox apartment in Vancouver.”

The couple opted not to sell during their time away, and returned home to Leith in October 2021, since when they’ve continued with their renovations – including a planned box room transformation ready for a very special new flatmate.

“Since moving back in, I’ve been desperate to change the kitchen lights and paint the wooden kitchen ceiling white,” Charlotte tells us. “And with a baby arriving in September, we also have plans to change the box room into a nursery!”

Four years after snapping up their ideal home, and with a huge life change on the horizon, Charlotte reflects on the journey to find their perfect place: “Although I was quite picky, I’m always grateful I stuck to my guns and didn’t compromise too much on our search. I’d hate to have gotten caught up in wanting to secure a place and ending up somewhere I didn’t truly love.”

And for anyone about to embark on their own first-time buyer journey, Charlotte has some sage advice to share. “It’s not really a hot take, but acting fast is absolutely key – especially if you’re buying in Edinburgh! Also, check your credit rating is tip-top before putting an offer in, so you’re not let down on mortgage offers later down the line. That was one very stressful mistake I won’t be making again!”

You can follow Charlotte’s interiors journey over on Instagram @charbourr.

Search all properties for sale in leith

Find houses and flats for sale in Leith

Inspired by Charlotte's Scandi-inspired chic tenement home? You can search all properties for sale in Leith and sign up to My ESPC so you don’t miss out on new homes coming to market.

Find out more about how to buy a house or flat in Scotland.

This article originally appeared in the April 2022 issue of the ESPC magazine. Find out more about the ESPC magazine and read the latest issue.