Scotland

[CyanLurker]

Hi everyone! me and my boyfriend are considering moving to Scotland and starting a life there. Can you tell me what life is like there? is it affordable to buy a house or maybe a plot of land? we are interested in a quiet life so we are open to living outside the cities.

What job do you have? Is it something you can transfer or wfh?

You need to provide the basics:

• Do you need to work in a town or a city
• Do to need public transport to do your job/exist
• Do you have any preference as to XX part of Scotland

Then people can help.

It’s not a holiday destination if you live there.

You can't really generalise.

Except that the tap water is nicer and the tax is a LOT more (talking thousands more if you're on 50k+).

Where are you moving from? The west coast has lots of commuter towns far enough out to feel quieter but still within reach of places like Glasgow for work.

Perth is great for exploring other parts of Scotland.

I'd say it's harder to move to the islands like Arran and Skye. High tourist demand means that housing prices increase and there are homes then left empty for the most part or rented out as holiday lets.

I think you need to think about the big blocks first - city or village, what kind of work you'll be looking for, transport options etc, and then once you have an idea on those go over to scotsnet to get more focused responses

Holiday homes are a real bright on the comminuted, but if people want to buy a property in a village to live in full time I find it a bit bigoted for the locals to make them unwelcome, no matter where they come from!

That's not really how it happens! People move in, the local people are interested, and sometimes they get nothing back because people wrongly think they're going to get an isolated existence. Sometimes they get someone with a big voice who wants to tell them how to run things that have been running fine for decades. Sometimes they get perfectly nice people but their kids are going to private schools and so their engagement with the community is low. And yeah, some people just are bigoted old farts, same as everywhere!

It's takes real skill to navigate because when you move, you're thinking about your life, and how it changes. Which is absolutely fair enough. The other 396 people in a village are also thinking about how you are changing their community. As an example, one new family with two kids can mean that the school stays open. You move there with your kids and they're going off to private school in Edinburgh: well, that's just a house lost and the school closer to closing. And so many people simply don't see it like that. They move and they are full of 'what we bring to the community' and perhaps it's not actually what's wanted. It is a really fine balance. I'm not saying it's right but it is what it is. Like I said before, if you live somewhere populated, people move around a lot. Families move villages and nobody gives a shit, you are there, hello, how are you. It feels different when there's just 400 of you and a single track road to the next peninsula where there will be 400 more. It just does.

You should absolutely move to Scotland, if you are ready to put up with the political batshittery that seems to be seeking into the societal fabric. Near legalized drug use, open political corruption, sky high taxes which are siphoned off by the corrupt devolved government, terrible NHS, even worse schools.

Basically a much worse version of England.

My work colleague moved to Inverness and absolutely loves it. If the traffic, overcrowding and endless house building gets much worse in Essex I’ll be following her!

We had a holiday in St Andrews when I was a kid. I was young, but I remember loving it - especially the Highlands.

Lochgelly is getting a bit more expensive these days, as is picturesque Ballingry (surrounded by heather and gorse clad hills). Anyone who doubts my description can google pics of the village.

I'd suggest that Methil is possibly more affordable.

Tax has been mentioned a few times, so I've got the link for Scottish tax bands. Basically, you'll be better off if you're low paid; otherwise, your tax will go up.

https://www.gov.uk/scottish-income-tax

Ach we've got a wee bit of space left, if Hamish and Morag can build another wee croft by the coo field.

Ye'll be more than welcome hen.

I live in Scotland, but I can't tell you which bit you will like without more information. It's a country, there are lots of beautiful bits and not beautiful bits.

Laughing at the suggestion of Methil,
but OP you need to explore Scotland would suggest west coast, helensburgh etc somewhere near Glasgow but close enough to Loch Lomond

The cheapest accommodation currently for sale in Methil is below 40k. https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/Methil.html

If someone's prepared to push the boat out, it's possible to buy a 4 bed bungalow for 255k.

I agree the NHS is bad here but not even close to how bad it was in the south East of England when I lived there 11 years ago! I can not even imagine how bad it is now!

Some light reading for anyone considering moving from England to Scotland. Old, but many points still valid!

https://grousebeater.wordpress.com/2017/03/25/dont-come-to-scotland/

There's a reason property is cheap in Methil only reason someone would wear is a suit is to go to court I honestly thought it was a joke to recommend to a couple wanting to move to Scotland for a plot of land

Larkhall is particularly delightful in July. Just don't wear green when you visit, OP.

This is surely an AI generated question???

There are actually a lot of good people in Methil, but yes - it does have that reputation. Prince Philip famously expressed his disdain for the place when he was in the navy.

It's actually in the process of being yuppified. Leven, Buckhaven and Methil are growing in size because of improved access to Dundee and Edinburgh. The new railway station is scheduled to open in a couple of months or so.

We are not all one homogeneous mass galavanting in the lochs and glens awaiting the presence of the great and the good from down south. Good these threads are patronising.

Or maybe that was just you...

Which part of Scotland? Easterhouse is a touch different than Portree. It’s not all glens, heather and lochs.

@Malarandras oh come on, be fair. Easterhouse has lochs and loads of both types of green.

One of my favourite things about Scotland and Scottish people (I am one) is the wry self awareness and dry humour.

It’s not for you OP.