Buying a home can be an expensive business.
Property hotspots such as St Andrews regularly see flats change hands for well over £1 million.
It’s perfectly possible to find a modest but pleasant home for much less, however. Indeed you can own a nice little flat for £50,000 or below. That’s less than many people spend on a new car.
Look online and there are plenty of flats in Tayside and Fife with asking prices of well under £50,000.
Many of these should come with their own warnings, however. Most are being sold through auction sites, where there are hefty fees attached and you have very few rights once the gavel has fallen.
Others come with sitting tenants and are only suitable for investors. And some are empty shells requiring £10,000s to be spent on renovation works.
There is some wheat among the chaff, however. All of the flats we’ve found are untenanted, being sold through normal estate agents with the usual buyer protections, and are in ready-to-move-in condition.
Arbroath
Located on a quiet street a few minutes’ walk from the centre of Arbroath is this one-bedroom flat.
It has it’s own main door so there’s no worrying about messy mutual closes or broken security entry doors.
Inside everything is brand new. The kitchen and bathroom are both very modern and the flat is ready to move in to.
Gas central heating and double glazing make it a cheap home to run. There is a living room, double bedroom, kitchen and bathroom. The flat even comes with its own utility room.
Perhaps best of all, there’s a driveway with off street parking in addition to a shared garden/drying green.
Dundee
Sibbald Street is a quiet cul-de-sac off Dundee’s Dens Road. The city’s two football stadiums are nearby, Albert Street’s shops are a short walk away, and the city centre isn’t far either.
This ground floor apartment has one bedroom, a living room, kitchen and bathroom.
Two large windows ensure the living room is a bright place. The kitchen and bathroom are both in good condition and the flat has electric heating.
Crieff
A stone built flat with a bay window and a one-minute walk to the centre of town could cost upwards of £500,000 in Edinburgh or St Andrews.
In the lovely market town of Crieff it costs just a tenth of that. This top floor flat has a bay window and a second window in its bright living room.
Located on King Street, it’s just a few steps from James Square and the town’s main street.
The accommodation consists of a living room, bedroom, kitchen and bathroom.
It’s on sale with a guide price of £50,000.
Lochgelly
This ground floor flat on Lochgelly’s Main Street is just a short distance from bakeries, takeaways, shops and cafes. The village’s train station is also within walking distance.
Inside it’s modest but nicely appointed. There’s an open plan living room/kitchen and a double bedroom. The bathroom has a useful storage cupboard.
Double glazing, gas central heating and the lowest council tax band make it a cheap flat to run.
Brechin
Brechin hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons in October when Storm Babet caused widespread flooding.
It’s a pleasant little town with great transport links, however, and being on the top floor this Trinity Road flat shouldn’t be at any risk from future floods.
It’s been nicely done up, with a new kitchen, modern bathroom with walk-in shower, and double bedroom with mirrored wardrobe doors. The bright lounge has two windows and a feature fire surround.
There’s double glazing and electric heating.
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