Hoping to move to Scotland to give my kids some security

[Possiblytotallymad]

Hi, I’m in need of some help…. I’m a single parent to 2 young boys and I might be inheriting some money… about 150k from the death of a man who abused me. Because of this abuse I’ve never had a secure home, this money is my opportunity to create this for my children.

im looking for places I could move to and buy a house and a Scottish friend of mine has suggested the Isle of Sky. I essentially need a big outside space for my kids to run and play. I don’t like motorway driving but am absolutely fine in countryside.

before anyone says about needing a support network, I’ve never had one so it’s not something I’ll miss. I have no friends here either and quite honestly I grew up in the countryside and I feel like a caged animal. Goning back where I grew up isn’t an option because of the abuse it’s just to traumatic.I also absolutely hate renting and I could get a mortgage but having looked at property prices I think I should be able to get a 1 bed with a garden… which will be fine anything above that is a massive plus.

My question is really is their anywhere else apart from Sky people would recommend ? I definitely don’t want a city but I would like local ish (say within 60 min drive) kids for mine to play with. Needs to be somewhere that mixed race kids who don’t always behave themselves and who have ADHD will be at least tolerated l…. I’ve lived a few places before I had them that this wouldn’t be the case.

also please be kind…. This isn’t something I’m jumping into but is a way out and a fresh start so pls tread softly….

Skye is gorgeous but not a place to move to lightly.

It's very well connected but still ages away from the big cities. It will also get very, very dark in the winter. I say this as a highlander - the darkness really does close in from October until about March.

Its certainly a lifestyle. But what about when your kids are older? You'd need to be a confident driver definitely.

Good luck, I hope you find somewhere perfect to recover and settle into.

Perhaps you should look where you can get a job first. Skye is lovely for a short break but you are really limiting opportunities for you and your kids. Also you need a two bedroom home,one for you and one for your boys. Have you ever actually been to Skye? Living on a Scottish island is HARD work, it can be very very isolated and depressing in winter when daylight lasts a lot less than 8 hours!

Just thinking, would you consider Dumfries and Galloway? It still has big wide open spaces and is really rural, but a bit closer to Glasgow and you can get lots of bang for your buck house-wise. Or you could a few years ago when we went there on holiday anyway, not sure if that's changed!

Good luck OP. A fresh start with your children is just what you need. Do you need to be near anywhere in particular for work ? What about schools for the kids? The isle of Skye is so beautiful but I would echo the caution of previous posters in that winters in very rural Scotland can be incredibly challenging.

Other places in Scotland to consider

• Fife
• Perthshire
• Morayshire
• Aberdeenshire
• as pp mentioned Dumfries and Galloway

What about the east coast, think within 30 - 60 mins of Inverness, loads of options from large towns to small villages, within reach of beaches, woodlands and the Cairngorms.

Personally I think Skye would be quite isolated. I love visiting the Scottish islands but not sure how I'd feel about living on Skye as it's miiiiiles away from anything. If you're interested in islands, what about Arran or Bute? Both on the west coast and a short ferry ride to the mainland and close enough to big towns and cities.
If not islands, then I'd maybe suggest Morayshire, plenty of bigger towns and smaller villages, and close enough to Aberdeen and Inverness, but beautiful and rural and the coast on your doorstep.
As your children are mixed race, if you relocate to an island or small town you might not find many others who are similar. If you'd like your kids to know other children of colour then you'd need to pick one of the cities and even then, it's very white.
Best of luck to you.

I am from near Skye. £150k would only get you an ex HA property I would say. Offers over system means you need to be looking at properties marketed at more like £100-110k I would think. Likely properties will be in portree and broadford, so your kids will have to walk a decent distance before getting out of the villages to the big open space you mentioned, so it depends how old they are. You won't get a non-ruined property outwith the big villages for that. And I think a lot of work will be needed to anything in your price range.

Mixed race wise there's hardly anybody who isn't white. People aren't hostile to non-white people though. I would say that a black person from Inverness would have absolutely no trouble, whilst a white person from London might have to work a bit harder to really integrate. People aren't unfriendly, just not keen to jump straight into being best mates with yet another incomer who probably won't last the winter! If you stick around and do a local job and make an effort to get to know people you'll be fine.

Job wise what will you do?

I’m sorry you’ve had such a hard time of it, and hope Scotland works out to be a good move for you.
I think I would start with schools and work back from there. Skye is an extreme lifestyle choice, whereas there are rural areas in easier reach of Inverness, Perth or Glasgow which I think might be an easier transition.

I wouldn’t OP, there are plenty of fairly isolated places much closer to the central belt where you’d have affordable housing in a lovely place, but with fewer issues for you and your kids as time goes on - jobs, commuting, healthcare. I’d look at places like Dunoon before I went racing up to Skye, lovely though it is!

Personally, I would be worried about the lack of opportunity for your children in the future.

Look at Millport on the island of Cumbrae. Thing about rural Scotland is that there aren't so many mixed race families. If that is important to you you might struggle. I come from Ayrshire and am always surprised by how the town is still a mono culture.

Somewhere closer to the central belt (Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Edinburgh) or up the east coast might be better in terms of ADHD support, education/employment options, building your own connections, etc, at least as a starting point for life in Scotland. The west coast is beautiful, and I absolutely love it. However, living there (mainland or islands) is very different from living in most places - even other rural places in Scotland.

£150k would give you a solid deposit but you're not likely to get a mortgage-free property that's suitable for a young family. You'll probably still need a mortgage wherever you choose. Remember that the property market in Scotland works on 'offers over' - at the moment, in most places, you need to offer a percentage above the home report value (not necessarily the starting point for offers in the property listing) to have a good chance of success.

Sorry I don't know Skye personally but most of Scotland is not ethnically diverse. If that is important to you then you'd be best to stay near the central belt.
As PPs have said remember it's an offers over system so need to look at properties about 10-20% below what you want to spend

I'm a rural Scot and even I would find Skye in the winter a struggle! It's a heck of a change in lifestyle for anyone.

I'd suggest somewhere around Inverness, Moray or Aberdeenshire if you want lots of outdoor activities but still able to reach a city and the opportunities it offers. Aviemore and Granton on Spey are well known centres for outdoor life.
I know the top part of the country better than south but there's lots of rural places in D&G and Borders too - if either of your kids could be good at rugby, the Borders is the best place to be

Look really closely at which authorities are doing well with additional needs support. Look at schools, job opps, and transport links.

Good luck, Scotland is beautiful and (most) folk are very welcoming and friendly.

that money won’t buy anything in Skye. It’s very remote. You need a car. There is one high school. It takes about 1 hour to travel from one end to the other because of the roads. There are two ‘big’ supermarkets. You’d have to drive to them. Not many activities for kids. Look elsewhere. Lots of people selling up in Skye after doing the ‘dream move to the remote highlands Covid’ move. And if you enjoyed lockdown then the highlands is for you. You need to be self sufficient, that is, not need constant company. People are generally very insular although also very kind and helpful. If you hated lockdown then go for somewhere busier - what about outside Inverness? Invergordon etc.

It takes about 1 hour to travel from one end to the other because of the roads

And the rest. I live in the north end and it takes me over an hour to get to Broadford, let alone to the south of the island.

OP, you didn't say whether you've ever been to Skye. I'd suggest a holiday here (in winter) before you even consider moving here.

What about something in the Dingwall/Inverness area?
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/151627778?utm_campaign=property-details&utm_content=buying&utm_medium=sharing&utm_source=copytoclipboard#/&channel=RES_BUY

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/144086327#/?channel=RES_BUY

I agree @MrJeremyFisher OP should def have a longer stay up here and see what she likes/can cope with, before making the decision where to move.

Dumbarton/Helensburgh with Loch Lomond on your doorstep and plenty of 2-3 bedroom properties with gardens at your budget and under (potentially leaving you with some extra money for decoration and moving costs). Loch Lomond has loch lomond shores with plenty for kids to do and lots of nice walks.

You need to be careful as not all areas are accommodating to folks from South of the border. (Or in some cases, even a differnt Scottish accent can raise eyebrows 🙄)

My family is on to the 4th generation living in Scotland now and occasionally I still get referred to as an incomer family despite having been born and bred in this very town 😂.

Dumfries &Galloway and Scottish Borders are both a good bet. There won't be much opportunities for your kids on an island and they'll be up and away as soon as they can.

I would suggest somewhere close to the central belt for when your children are teenagers. Somewhere with easy enough bus service to Edinburgh or Glasgow would be best. Still lots of rural areas you can live it without isolating them as teenagers.

What about employment? And a one bed really isn’t going to suit when you’ve got kids.

How about somewhere in the borders? Absolutely beautiful countryside and good schools.
Or maybe south Lanarkshire? It’s enough “out in the sticks” for you to not feel cramped but really easy access to town centres and Glasgow. Much better for the kids.

Scotland is not ethnically diverse. And the rural areas even more so.

Moving to the islands without experience of living there before is pretty extreme.

There are lots of other rural parts that are more accessible to services and schools than others.

Examples like the ones on the post I've quoted.