Scottish Property magazine
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Scotland is diverse in character throughout its regions but no region is more diverse than The Highlands which stretches to an area the size of Belgium and has a dispersed population that is centred mainly on its two largest cities Inverness and Aberdeen. The Highlands has always been an exceptional place to live with areas of outstanding natural beauty on your doorstep from the world famous Loch Ness to the Cuillin mountain range in the Isle of Skye. The Highlands offer an excellent quality of living for its residents and continues to attract people from all walks of life who want to take advantage of the lifestyle on offer here. The average house price has recently risen by 1.1% and this has only been further strengthened by increased lending and mortgage availability for first-time buyers who are happily returning to the housing market.
| City | Average house price March 2014 |
|---|---|
| Aberdeen | £202,829 |
| Inverness | £157,369 |
| Edinburgh | £227,469 |
Recent reports have compared Aberdeen to London, because of the rapid rise in property prices that has occurred over the last five years. The external influence of the oil and gas industries has meant that the demand for housing, especially properties that suit for buy-to-let investments or that can be used for corporate relocation is now more prevalent than ever. Despite the slower pace of life in the Highlands as a whole (with average length of time on the market for sellers at 200 days) Aberdeen buyers continue to snap up properties quickly with many houses closing within a week or two of being put on the market.
The Highlands has always been an exceptional place to live with areas of outstanding natural beauty on your doorstep from the world famous Loch Ness to the Cuillin mountain range in the Isle of Skye.
Set on the banks of the River Ness, the city has grown with local industry and is now considered to be the capital of the Highlands with consistently high employment in the tourism, renewable energies and agricultural sectors. The property market has always been buoyant and certainly in the last two years has been helped by additional funding from schemes such as Help to Buy. Areas such as Aviemore boast a sizeable amount of holiday homes that are used throughout the winter ski season and the summertime mountaineering and hiking that many people visit specifically for. This has always raised property prices in the area as many investors are keen to own short-term holiday lets that can be lucrative in high seasons.
| Budget | Aberdeen | Inverness | Edinburgh |
|---|---|---|---|
| £150,000 | 2 Bed Flat in the City Centre | 2 Bed Semi-Detached in the Suburbs | 3 Bed Flat in need of modernisation in the Easter Road area of Edinburgh |
| £300,000 | 2 Bedroom House in the Suburbs | Detached, 4 bed with gardens and garage | 2 Bed Flat in the Shore area with views of Edinburgh Castle and the Forth Bridge |
| £450,000 | 4 Bedroom Detached House in the suburbs or a 3 Bedroom Penthouse in the City Centre | 5 Bedroom and roughly 1/2 acre of land. High specification and added extras such as additional buildings, en-suites and double garages | 3 Bed Flat in the Old Town area of Edinburgh with period features and high ceilings |
Where else could you experience so much? The highest mountain in the British Isles, the deepest Loch in Scotland, breath-taking scenery, haunting history and a flourishing economy that includes oil, whisky, fish, textiles and whisky. Before the 19th century the Highlands was home to a much larger population, but this changed due to a combination of factors including the outlawing of the traditional Highland way of life following the Jacobite Rising of 1745, the infamous Highland Clearances and mass migration to urban areas during the Industrial Revolution. Despite the Highlands being one of the most sparsely populated in Europe its heart continues to beat strong as oil rich blood - with a hint of whisky - and renewable energy is pumped in to the economy. Add to this the outstanding beauty of the region and it's easy to see how The Highlands housing market is well-nourished and continues to attract not only an abundance of tourists, but buyers and property investors alike.
Five bedrooms, five bathrooms cottage with income potential at Blairbeg, Drumnadrochit, Inerness-shire. Offers over £297,000
Two properties for the price of one and a renovation dream in Inverurie, Aberdeenshire. Offers around £200,000
Newsletter - if you enjoyed this article, why not get more?
Fresh, tasteful, inspiring and brand new, Scottish Property Magazine offers sixty eight tantalising pages filled with beautiful photographs, inspirational ideas and in-depth articles on the following themes:
For the first four editions we are doing direct targeted distribution. The magazine is sent to 10,000 homeowners across the greater central belt, all of whom are either planning to sell, have just sold or have just bought a property. This strategic distribution will continue next year, however, we will also have it in the shops for sale by next summer. A smaller number also gets distributed to IFA's and brokers across the central belt.
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