PROPERTY SPECIAL
Average price for one- and
two-bed properties £108,000 Annual increase 17.7% Amenities These neighbouring areas boast a lively centre with lots of shops and small businesses. There are many classes and events organised by the local council. Hearts Football Club has its ground here. at Tynecastle. Transport The city centre is a 15-minute walk. or a five-minute bus ride, away. The busy Haymarket train station is close by and is served by trains journeying across the UK. Social There are many pubs and shops in Gorgie and Dalry. and nearby Fountainbridge boasts a multiplex with a cinema, bowling alley. bars. restaurants and bingo hall. There are also bars and restaurants on the redeveloped canal front. Positives Popular with first time buyers as there is good value for money. Strong community spirit with an active council. Negatives House prices are rising fast and this trend looks set to continue.
east end. which cost around £110,000. The agreement was simple — everything would be split down the middle from initial costs and deposit. to mortgage repayments and profits when they eventually sold up.
‘11 was all quite straightforward.‘ says James. ‘The benefits of buying together weren‘t just financial — it helped to have two pairs of eyes and it was good to share the stress.‘
Buv in a cheap area to get a foo on the ladder The easiest way to get a foot on the property ladder. claim the experts. is to buy in a cheap area before selling and moving to a more desirable location. by which time you should have enough for the deposit.
According to liSPC‘ figures first—time buyers in
Edinburgh should consider areas such as Wester flailes where flats have average selling prices of
{67.860 Pilton. (iranton. Duddingston and Prestonfield are also areas where flats can regularly be found for under £|00.000.
There are plenty of options in (ilasgow too. In the east end prices are around half of those in the west. according to the (iSl’C. With the BBC due to move to Pacific Quay this summer. it might be time to look to (iovan or lbrox for investment potential.
Build your own
An increasing number of people are responding to the over-heated property market by building their own. With the arrival of the kit house — the most famous of which is the lkca flatpack home
18 rue LIST 12—20 Apr 20m
— this no longer needs to be as expensive or complicated as it once was. Plots can be difficult to track down but there are lots available and land without planning permission can be extremely cheap. But make sure you are buying the whole plot and be aware that the council may own a section of pavement or road that you can‘t use for access to your new home.
lixpcct to pay from £20,000 for half an acre and from £80,000 for the plot. kit and construction. You can save tip to 50‘}? on the price of a home and have input into aspects of the design.
Fleming Homes lHeminghomes.co.uk. 0l3(il 883785) in Berwick offers a range of kit properties from £13,000 together with advice on mortgages and plot searches as does Build Store (wwwbuildstore.co.uk. 0870 870 999] ). Both companies report that business is booming and they are currently experiencing their busiest year on record.
If buying outwith the city limits. you may qualify for a (‘ommunities Scotland Rural Home Ownership (irant which covers up to a third of the cost of the build and which will be written off
if you live in the property for ten years or more.
David McCraw built his house using a kit from Fleming Homes. He says. ‘lt‘s really straightforward. I found a plot of land without any trouble. for £30,000. and it was reasonably easy to get planning permission. We got a self- build overdraft. There‘s no way I could have bought a property like this otherwise. It saved me more than a third of what I would have paid otherwise.’
EDlNBURGH Portobello
Average price for one- and two-bed properties €122.000 Annual increase 7.3%
Amenities There are more than 200 shops and businesses in this traditional seaside resort. as well as two high schools and two primary schools. The Victorian swim centre has a gym, Turkish baths and outdoor swimming pool. Transport Trains and buses are frequent between the city centre and Portobello though traffic can be very heavy. Buses take around 20 i minutes and road links are good on the At. ; Social Portobello doesn't have an enormous selection of pubs and restaurants but the
situation is improving.
Positives The seaside location, leisure facilities and thriving local businesses make this a lively place to live. The shops in Portobello range from bakers and banks to pet shops and travel
agents.
Negatives The traffic can be a nightmare and there’s a conspicuous lack of pubs or entertainment venues.