I live further north than most on here, at the mo i'm living in Aberdeen but am originally from Alness, which isn't that far from Inverness. House prices here are worst in Scotland but due to being Oil Capital of Europe.
If i won the lottery i'd move to Blanefield, its a little villiage just outside Glasgow's West End. Personally i love Glasgow, obviously it has its rough areas but mosts major city's do eh?? Edinburgh is great for a weekend away but its too "tourist-driven" for me but its easy to see why people flock there is fantastic.
My brother has a house in Croftamie which is a stones throw from Loch Lomond and it is beautiful but very remote and unless you drive you'd be pretty snookered.... bit remote for me, i like street lights, ha ha!! He also has a flat on Gt Western Road in Glasgow which is Kelvinside and i have to say its knock-out, you'd never know you were in a huge city.
I don't have kids (yet!) but friends that do are happy with the schools and we don't have a massive population here either so it might be easier to get into the school of your choice - although i am sure there are catchment areas.
Up north is lovely, Inverness is a big town more than a city and also Elgin is a great place to bring up kids.
Hope you don't mind me adding my 2-bits worth.
