Allure of the South West

Dumfries and Galloway offers a lot of house for a mid-market budget, discovers Kirsty Mcluckie

South-west Scotland offers some fine country properties but prices are still lower than many other parts of the country.

Buyers in the area, who are roughly an equal split between Scots and from elsewhere in the UK, are drawnto a rural life in very attractive surroundings.

The market is on the up, however, with sales at Galbraith’s Castle Douglas office increasing by 11 per cent in its latest figures, compared with the preceding quarter.

David Corrie, who leads the Galbraith team in the town, succinctly explains the allure, saying: “The lifestyle in Dumfries and Galloway has always been idyllic, with our wonderful forests and superb coastlines and beaches.”

At the mid-market level for the region, of £300,000 to £500,000, a potential buyer can expect a lot of features for their budget.

Watcarrick lies in a secluded setting by the village of Eskdalemuir, and the plot has lovely views over the surrounding countryside.

A six-bedroomed farmhouse of 3,000sq ft sits at the heart of the property, and has a connected onebedroomed annex and four and a half acres of gardens, grazing and woodland. Offered separately or

together, Stables Cottage has two bedrooms and the potential to extend into the next door barn or to use its outbuildings as a workshop.

Shamba is a house in an elevated position on the edge of the village of Twynholm, and has four bedrooms and double garage with an apartment above.

One of the property’s primary selling points is its landscaped grounds, with a private sunken garden enjoying beautiful views of the countryside.

Its village position would be excellent for a young family.

Further west lies a coastal property opportunity, near Stranraer. South Knockglass Croft is set in the middle of farmland, but has views to Loch Ryan, Ailsa Craig and the Isle of Arran.

It is a new-build property, so it offers energy efficiency and low maintenance1.

The lifestyle in Dumfries and Galloway has always been idyllic with wonderful forests, superb coastlines and beaches