The houses for sale get more expensive every year. I lived in a caravan for seven years
After seven years living in a caravan, Olivia Seaton knows only too well the problems facing young islanders trying to get a foot on the property ladder.
She moved to Skye 11 years ago, and, now 30, Olivia – or Liv – lived most of them in a static caravan in her mum’s garden which she revamped to Instaworthy standard while working as a hotel housekeeper, barmaid, shop assistant and vet nurse.
Liv recently set up as a freelance editor and proof reader and she, her boyfriend of five years Dan, who grew up in the Highlands, and her cat Lola, swapped homes with her mum Lesley after she suggested it and are now renovating the cottage.
“The one downside is it’s hard for young people to get on to the property ladder,” Liv explained.
“There are very few rentals because there are so many holiday homes and the properties for sale just get more and more expensive every year. But I would never move away. My friends are here, my family, my partner. All the things that matter. My life as it is would never have happened if I hadn’t moved to Skye.
“A lot of people get to their teens then move away and maybe come back again when they have a family, but that’s because there’s nothing for young people to do.
“I stuck with it and made a life here and I couldn’t be happier.”
Liv added: “It’s great that the government is encouraging people to move to the islands but the money would be better spent investing in the islands and the people that are already here. People definitely already want to move to the islands but when they get here there’s little investment in their staying here.
“They could spend more on infrastructure, housing and making the isles better, especially for young people.”
Liv first visited the island during school holidays. She said: “We’d been coming to Skye since I was about eight and we just fell in love with it. We loved the outdoors, the community spirit, we just always felt really comfortable here.
“In fact, every year we left to go home, my mum would say that she would really love to move to Skye.”
Years later after Liv’s parents split, her mum travelled to Skye to visit a friend, and came back home to Buckinghamshire saying she’d had an offer on a house accepted.
“It was unexpected but not a snap decision,” Liv said. “After all, mum had been talking about it for nearly 20 years.”
Liv, younger brother Arthur and Lesley took the plunge and moved. “It was a big culture shock and a bit strange at first, but we soon settled in,” said Liv.
“The lack of a rat race is part of the charm. There’s no rush-hour traffic, no worrying about keeping up with the Joneses.
“It’s hard not to feel at home here. The people aren’t just your fellow islanders, they are your colleagues and customers too and so friendly and welcoming and would do anything for you. “