Drummore | US$570,000 (£425,000)
An 1850 house overlooking Luce Bay on the Scottish coast
Built in 1850, this six-bedroom, four-bathroom home is located in Drummore, Scotland’s southernmost village. The village lies on a peninsula in Dumfries and Galloway, 40 miles across the Irish Sea from Belfast, Northern Ireland. The property borders Clashwhannon Holiday Park, a small mobile home campsite. The Ship Inn at Drummore, a popular pub, is to the west of the house. Stanraer railway station is 17 miles north and provides services throughout Scotland.
Size: 3,171 square meters
Price per square meter: $179
Inside: The house has been renovated and maintained over the centuries. Original features include mosaic tiles in the entrance and wooden shutters in most rooms. An open plan dining and kitchen area includes a Rangemaster cooker and slate worktops. There are original fireplaces in the dining room and living room. The sellers built a self-contained extension on the ground floor with a bedroom, kitchen and bathroom. A buyer could use it for short-term rentals.
A high-ceilinged conservatory offers panoramic views of Luce Bay and Drummore Harbor. On the second floor, two bedrooms offer bay views, while a third overlooks the garden. There are two further bedrooms in the attic above. Furniture is available by separate arrangement.
Outdoor area: The half-acre property is surrounded by a stone wall surrounding elaborate gardens, and beyond, a grassy cliff leads down to the rocky shoreline. The flat backyard includes a pergola, shed and outdoor grill.
Cost: The annual property tax, called council tax, is $3,551 (£2,645). There are no restrictions in Scotland for most foreign buyers of residential property. All buyers pay a property and building transaction tax that rises to a maximum of 12 percent based on the value of a home.
Contact: Iona Conn | Savills | +44-0-141-222-5875
Kirkbean | US$570,000 (£425,000)
A converted church surrounded by a historic cemetery
This five-bedroom, four-bathroom former church was built in 1767 and converted to residential use in 2012 after extensive renovations. It was operated as a short-term rental by the sellers who purchased it in 2020. The village of Kirkbean, in the southern council region of Dumfries and Galloway, is approximately one mile from the Scottish coast.
Size: 2,820 square meters
Price per square meter: $202
Inside: The renovation retained many of the original church features, including a ground floor pulpit, stained glass panels, and burnished wood railings around the second level. The main floor has been remodeled into a loft-like space that includes a great room with 19-foot ceilings and a stone fireplace with wood-burning stove. The kitchen has granite countertops, an induction stove and an island.
Three ensuite bedrooms on the lower level have been used for short term rentals. The seller lived in the two-room apartment on the upper floor. The house is heated with a biomass boiler. Furniture is available by separate arrangement.
Outdoor area: The surrounding cemetery, no longer in use, belongs to the village of Kirkbean, whose community maintains it along with the house’s small lawns. The clock tower clock, maintained by the village for centuries, is now electric. A driveway offers space for several cars.
Cost: Council taxes, including water charges, are $3,015 (£2,251). In order to keep the property listed, a new owner would have to re-apply for a rental license from the local council.
Contact: Angela Paterson | Yopa Dumfries & Galloway | +44-0138-744-0411
New Abbey | 637,000 US dollars (475,000 British pounds)
A restored house from 1727 next to a famous 13th century abbey
This seven-bedroom, two-bathroom house, known locally as the Auld Manse, was built in 1727 as a vicarage for a Church of Scotland vicar and was modernized in 2019 by the seller, who installed new windows and woodburning stoves. Located in the small village of New Abbey in Dumfries and Galloway, the house overlooks the ruins of Sweetheart Abbey, founded in 1273. The village is on the main A710 road to attractions such as Criffel, a nearby peak which attracts walkers from all over Scotland. Dumfries railway station, with trains throughout Scotland, is 8 miles north. Glasgow Airport is 90 miles north.
Size: 3,293 square meters
Price per square meter: $173
Inside: An entrance hall with a hardwood staircase opens to three reception rooms which could be converted into bedrooms or offices. Restored historic details include ornate Victorian-style cornices. The ground floor also has an open kitchen, dining and living area. The kitchen features granite countertops and a small island. (The wood stove, a gift from the seller’s parents, is not included in the sale.)
There are four bedrooms on the second floor and three more on the top floor. Three bedrooms have sealed fireplaces that could be reactivated. Because the bedrooms are large, a buyer could build en-suite bathrooms on the side of the house where the pipes run. The former servants’ quarters in the attic are now storage rooms.
Outdoor area: A low stone wall surrounds the property, whose 1-hectare grounds include manicured gardens and plum and apple trees. The seller also built a greenhouse on the back lawn. The attached garage offers space for six cars. The house is Grade B listed, which requires the owners to maintain the façade and seek permission from Dumfries and Galloway Council for external renovations.
Cost: Yearly Council taxes are $3,551 (£2,645).
Contact: Angela Paterson | Yopa Dumfries & Galloway | +44-0138-744-0411