Scottish seaside residences among the most expensive
The best seaside towns to live in Scotland are also among the most expensive to buy property in, a new survey reveals.
Scotland’s top three seaside towns with the best quality of life are Fraserburgh, Peterhead and Stonehaven, all in Aberdeenshire, according to the Bank of Scotland Seaside Town Review.
The East Coast boasts the top ten Scottish seaside towns with the best quality of life.
North Berwick and St. Andrews offer a high quality of life but not surprisingly housing in these towns tends to be expensive.
Montrose, Leven and Burntisland have a high quality of life combined with relatively low house prices, the survey that examines the cost of property, the labour market, the environment, education and health, also shows.
In addition to the three Aberdeenshire towns the best places to live are North Berwick and Dunbar in East Lothian, St. Andrews, Dalgety Bay, Leven and Burntisland in Fife, and Montrose in Angus.
Some of the highest ranked seaside towns in Scotland for quality of life also have the most expensive property prices. North Berwick is the most expensive seaside town in Scotland with an average price of £268,418 in 2009. North Berwick is followed by St. Andrews, where the average price is £240,660 and Stonehaven at £184,996.
A good quality of life, however, does not always come with high property prices. The five best value seaside towns, towns offering the combination of relatively low house prices and a high ranking for quality of life in the top 10, are Burntisland, Leven, Montrose, Peterhead and Fraserburgh. All five towns have an average house price below the average for Scottish seaside towns.
‘Living on the coast has many attractions, often including a high quality of life, good climate and the all-important scenery. Given these attributes, seaside towns have long held a strong appeal for many homebuyers seeking an everyday view of the sea,’ said Nitesh Patel, housing economist at Bank of Scotland.
‘Many seaside towns offer an excellent quality of life but with house prices to match. However several seaside towns in Scotland provide a combination of relatively low property prices and a good quality of life, therefore offering good value for money,’ Patel added.