Desperate to move -Where to buy a property for £150,000 max in Scotland?

[Requinblanc]

I would really appreciate some advice. I am looking to move to Scotland on a small budget to try to save my health and sanity!

I need a quiet, safe place where I can buy a 2 bed property with some outdoor space and I would love something near the sea.

The main requirement, beyond peace and quiet and access to nature, is that it is needs to have a train station as I don't drive and to be close-ish to a hospital. I would like to be no further than an hour from either Glasgow or Edinburgh if possible.

I have had the bad news that my London flat is affected by the cladding scandal as my buyer could not secure a mortgage without one of these new fire safety survey so my plans to sell quickly and to comfortably buy in Scotland with a bigger budget have been turned upside-down.

I've had a lot of health issues (with one more operation coming this week) and I really need to leave the capital for a better life at this stage because it is starting to make my long term health condition worse and I just need a way out.

Can anyone recommend somewhere? I am happy with a small town or village, but not a big city. I can renovate something and I don't need a 'pretty' house at all, just a quiet location where I can try to recover for the next few years.

Depends which is higher priority- sea, hospital or train. Larbert/stenhousemuir good for hospital and train, but not sea- plenty of nice countryside by bus or train and nice walks locally. For seaside, the Fife villages are lovely, but pricier. Edinburgh seaside towns often pricy too, especially when on train line. Buses are generally good though as someone else mentioned. Penicuik, loanhead etc all have easy access to Edinburgh.

Not driving means that a lot of rural Scotland isn’t going to work for you. Is that likely to change in the future or not ?

When you say near a hospital - do you mean a small district general hospital? Or do you need a large teaching hospital with specialists to treat your incredibly rare condition ? Not trying to pry, but there’s no point in everyone recommending Eg Dumfriesshire If you need to be near a renal transplant unit.

Or Dundee if you actually mean “ one hour from Edinburgh “ rather than “ not out in the sticks “.

You don’t mention If you have kids and if schools are a factor on your decision.

Near a train station - do you mean to use the train to commute to work in Edinburgh ? Or mainline station to visit your mother in Preston once a month ?

Sorry for all teh questions but Scotland is a big place and the more infor we have the more we can help you.

North Aberdeenshire or Moray, you'd get tons for your money. Can get a 4 bed house in Banff for less than that and it's literally on the beach.

Just realised you need train access and a hospital so my next suggestion is Aberdeen City, you could get a 2 bed in your budget and again we are coastal.

@ALLIS0N Thank you for your post. To answer your queries:

• I don't really like driving, although I have a licence, so a train station nearby would be a must for me. I cycle or use trains/the tube currently
• Also I will still need to be able to go to London on occasions and regularly to Edinburgh/Glasgow for business purposes but not need for a daily commute as I work from home
• schools are not an issue as kids are adults now :)
• Hospitals are a bit trickier. I have a long term health condition and I am currently with UCLH in London (a big teaching hospital) but it is usually manageable so it is just in case something goes wrong in the future. It looks like I will have to keep my London flat anyway until this nightmare is resolved and live between Scotland and London so I can still be seen at UCLH if needed I assume.

Ok that’s all really helpful.

So you don’t need to be a near a train at all - a good bus service would also be fine, right?

Also you might change your mind in future about driving in the country , it’s NOTHING like London. Especially if you just drove locally and didn’t go into town.

Near Glasgow / Edinburgh - so places like Dundee and Perth ( 1.5 hours to edin ) and Ayr ( one hour to Glasgow ) are ok ? Or not?

Hospitals - if you need a large teaching hospital then you probably want to stick to near ( I mean an hour away ) from the larger cities of Edinburgh, Glasgow and Dundee . That still gives you a lot of options .

Aberdeen has a great university hospital but it’s 3.5 hours by train to Glasgow or Edinburgh.

I don’t mean to be patronising but some people from down south often underestimate how big Scotland is. They say things like “ we are going to Edinburgh on holiday and want to go on a day trip to Skye and then see Burns Cottage on the way back “.

Proximity to Glasgow / Edinburgh rules out most of the Highlands and Islands and many parts of the west coast, Aberdeenshire, all of Dumfries and Galloway and some of the Borders I think.

Places like Banff ( great town ! ) suggested by PP are two hours away from Aberdeen on the bus and an hours drive. And a lot longer to Glasgow / Edinburgh l

Helensburgh - fine by train to Glasgow

Loch Lomond - you’d need a car. That’s true for most villages TBH, so you probably want a small town or the suburbs of a city.

I’d start on the map and draw around an hour by public transport from the main cities .

You don’t need a solicitor at this stage. You need a lot of time online and then a lot of weekends doing a recce in person. I’m afraid that not driving AND living 500 miles is going to make house viewing very tough for you.

My best advice is to chose an area and then rent up here so you can find somewhere to buy at your leisure and when you know exactly what you want.

I’m sorry to bang on about the driving but it’s hard to live rurally and not drive. Again it can be hard to see that when you are used to Transport for London standard of public transport.

Apologies in advance to anyone If I’ve dissed their favourite place or got distances wrong

I'm in Midlothian and you'd certainly buy something near here for that much. I'd say go East Lothian ... maybe prestonpans or port seton to be at the sea

Park View East, Prestonpans, EH32
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-97150199.html

@cravingthelook

I'm in Midlothian and you'd certainly buy something near here for that much. I'd say go East Lothian ... maybe prestonpans or port seton to be at the sea

Although the beaches there are not that nice. I’d say Musselburgh as it’s got great transport links and a decent(ish) beach plus the River Esk and the lagoons.

West Kilbride in Ayrshire is lovely
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-83140991.html

Tip Make sure you read the home reports. Ideally most scored should be 1s. The home report value is a useful indicator.

Ayrshire / Renfrewshire / Inverclyde is looking more and more like it ticks the boxes.

I honestly wouldn't say you need a car as a single person with a rail pass and a bicycle. As long as you aim for mile at most walk from the train and the town centre and the beach.

Most of the Ayrshire coastal towns accommodate this including cycling paths and town centre supermarkets.

Thank you everyone for all the additional advice and suggesting all these great places!!!

I like the fact that prospective buyers can see a Home Report early and get a clear idea of the state of the property. That's a much better system.

@ALLIS0N 'it can be hard to see that when you are used to Transport for London standard of public transport.''

That made me smile :) Most journeys on the London tube and commuter trains are hellish and we are packed like sardines (pre-Covid) & constantly delayed. One thing about the capital I won't miss...but it is a good point that driving in a smaller, more rural location might be a possibility and that buses are also a good alternative.

How about Fife? Cupar, Ladybank, Markinch or Kirkcaldy are all on the train line to Edinburgh. Cupar is nice and close to st.andrews for the sea and between Dundee and Kirkcaldy for hospitals, quite cheap as well. Ladybank you get a lot for your money, nice small village. Kirkcaldy has the hospital, sea and train station and is not too expensive. www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-96800921.html
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-73235625.html

If you can stretch the hour to Glasgow then Rothesay on the Isle of Bute might suit you.

West Kilbride or Troon would be ideal for you