Peterhead - would you buy a house there?

[SillyAutomatic]

Just that, really. DH and I might finally be able to get somewhere of our own after many miserable years of private renting. We've lived in the Highlands for ten years, and have had enough of the remoteness and lack of facilities.
We used to live in Aberdeenshire and would like to go back, and Peterhead is so cheap for really nice looking properties. We'd love to live by the sea, so it seems like a great option for easy access to shops and services as well as lots of coastal walks.
Work and schools are not an issue for us (self-employed, child-free)
Just a bit worried about its reputation, we're not snobby, both come from council estates, but is it as rough as some people say?

Yes it is! It wouldn’t be my first choice of places to live there, and same for Fraserburgh…unfortunately houses are cheap there for all the reasons you fear

Apologies if this is irrelevant but How about Inverclyde? I think it's the cheapest area of Scotland. Beside the sea, handy for Glasgow. Easy access to beautiful Arran and the lovely Cowal peninsula.

@mibbelucieachwell depends where about in inverclyde? Greenocks an utter shithole, as is port glasgow.

Compared with Peterhead even? They might eventually become up and coming? With their easy access to Glasgow .

Warmer (and wetter) than Peterhead.

@mibbelucieachwell Interesting, we're quite open to areas, and proximity to a decent city would certainly be a plus.
Stuck on Aberdeenshire at the moment as we have so many friends and contacts there.

What is your budget?

We have family there and I have known the town for a very long time although never lived there. There is some great housing and some lovely places around and about but the town centre is dreary and shabby, or at least it was when I last visited a couple of years ago.

@mibbelucieachwell I second what @Crooklodge said 😂I guess it might eventually be “up and coming” but it wouldn’t be my first choice

What about some of the smaller coastal villages or slightly further inland in same area?

Yes would suggest Banff rather than Peterhead

Gosh don't move to Inverclyde OP.

Peterhead is not somewhere I would choose to live. What are your budget and house requirements?

My DP worked in Peterhead for a while and would come back with the most mental stories, it's definitely not somewhere I'd ever consider moving to. What about Buckie? On the coast and not overly expensive, you can get a lot for your money there.

I think it's where a lot of drugs enter the country. The town centre isn't lovely but if you've friends and family links and want something coastal you should have options, I'd be inclined to consider the surrounding areas. It is far from a lot of things but you know that.

What about Buckie? On the coast and not overly expensive, you can get a lot for your money there.

Not particularly cheap and loads and loads of new houses being built with no increase in infrastructure.

Come to Angus :)

No chance I would want to live Peterhead/Fraserburgh. There's a reason those houses are cheap!
Might do better in Ellon? Halfway between Peterhead and Aberdeen.

Thanks everyone!
Budget not entirely sure as yet, waiting to sell a forestry investment that was made with an inheritance. Wasn't enough for a house at the time, and our erratic self-employed income means we were never mortgage material.
Banff and Buckie we've considered, too far from anything, we'd feel as stuck as we do currently.
@Hungrycaterpillarsmummy Angus is definitely on my list of possiblities.

What sort of things are you worried about being far from…? Buckie is a pretty well resourced sort of place and close to Elgin for anything missing..

Nope! It is cheap for a reason.

Inverclyde was the second worst performing area for property price increase over the last decade with prices going up by only 15%.

The worst was Aberdeen where prices dropped.

I have nothing to add except I went on a few dates with a boy from Peterhead. He wouldn’t let us eat chips in his car.

Ellon is nice, as is Inverurie, or some of the villages around there. Once you know your budget and the type of housing you want, you will be better placed to decide.

@Doormatnomore - did his mum hang her curtains with the pattern to the street? 😉

Some parts of South Aberdeenshire are still pretty reasonable. Laurencekirk is well connected with the train station or places like fordoun or auchenblae are easy enough into Aberdeen if you drive..
Into Angus Montrose is okay - again on the train line.

Do you not have an approximate budget or requirement? I.e does it need to be a house or is a flat acceptable. What would be the lower end figure?

If you would be happy with a flat prices for flats in Aberdeen are still pretty low. They've never recovered from the oil down turn.