Do you travel regularly between Edinburgh, Glasgow or Aberdeen? If you live in Scotland’s commuter towns, this could potentially save you thousands of pounds. According to a new survey by Bank of Scotland, Motherwell, Greenock and Arbroath are cited as Scotland's most affordable commuter towns. The study examined house prices in towns within an hour’s commute of Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen measured them against average earnings, both locally and in relation to the nearest city. Results showed that:
- Motherwell topped the list as the most affordable commuter town for Edinburgh, with an average house price of £130,268 compared with £225,133 in the capital 40 miles away
- Greenock was the most affordable town in commuting distance of Glasgow, with an average house price of £120,927 compared to the Glasgow figure of £161,623. Motherwell came in second
- While, the report on Aberdeen found Arbroath - more than 50 miles and an hour's drive away - was the best value, with an average house price of £127,497, compared to £210,522 in Aberdeen.
On a separate study, “How Scotland Lives” also produced by Bank of Scotland highlighted that a shorter commute was a factor for increased happiness, with workers with less than a 15-minute journey to work claiming to be happiest.
For conclusion, Graham Blair, mortgage director at Bank of Scotland, said: “The length of the commute to work is a key factor when deciding where to set up home. Scotland has some great commuter towns where considerable savings on the property can be made.
“However, the decision to commute is not one that should be made just on the finances. We know from our How Scotland Lives research that those who don’t have to travel long distances to work are often happier.
“There are many things to take into account when looking for a new home, not just the journey time to work. Quality of schools, sense of space and sense of community are also important to many house hunters across Scotland.”
If you are thinking of buying a property in these commuter towns, we have a number of properties in Motherwell, Greenock and Arbroath for sale. You can search for properties here: https://www.mcewanfraserlegal.co.uk/properties/search/