Pursuit of a Perthshire country idyll still strong among English

A property firm says there is “continued interest” in buying homes in rural Perthshire.

Galbraith has reported a busy quarter for the period April until June and stressed the market to buy a second home in Perth and Kinross is doing well, with a lot of interest from people living in England.

Laura Ellis, of Galbraith’s Perth office, said: “There is continuing demand for the Perthshire country idyll, from country cottages with land to larger properties offering a revenue stream, such as bed and breakfast opportunities or self-contained holiday cottages.

“Property priced between £200,000 to £400,000 is in strong demand.

“This is borne out by the recent sale of a country cottage, marketed at £170,000, which received several offers by the closing date, with the highest being almost 40% over the asking price. The second home market remains strong and we continue to see buyers from England and further afield who are highly attracted by the rural lifestyle Perthshire offers.”

She admitted the housing market at the “top end” is slow at the moment but added demand for farms and estates is “buoyant.”

“The introduction of higher tax thresholds on the upper end of the market has definitely had an impact on properties valued above £800,000,” she commented.

“While these properties are still selling, purchasers are taking time to consider the tax implications and this, combined with the second home tax, has made purchasers take a more cautious approach rather than pressing on automatically with the purchase.

“This can often lead to some negotiation on price.”