Documentary Photography

West Scotland - Photographs by Jo Hanley for WSJ

“Homes in Scotland’s western towns are appreciating faster than they are in England. We visit some of these gorgeous locales and see what your money can buy in Loch Lomond, Argyll, Bute and other picturesque villages, and find out who is buying.”

I have been shooting travel and estate images for the WSJ (Wall Street Journal) for years now and they are always a joy. Spending a day in the far-flung parts of Scotland that I am unlikely to see under any other circumstances, really appeal to the explorer in me. On top of that I get to photograph some beautiful estates inside and out and meet their owners. There are worse ways to make a living…

This assignment didn’t disappoint. I headed along the North West coast toward the village of cove where I met with Jenny Riddle to photograph her castle, home away from home.

Jenny Riddell dreamed of owning a Scottish castle for 30 years. Last year, her dream finally came true.

In August, Jenny, a retired nurse, and her husband, Sean Riddell, the former CEO of a medical-technology company, bought Cove Castle, a seven-bedroom, roughly 4,700-square-foot home built in 1867 on the shores of Loch Long. “It is like something out of a Disney film,” said Jenny. “I love history and old properties, and there is something so intriguing about a castle, particularly one beside a loch.”

During their hunt for a castle, location was as important as looks for the Riddells. Their main home is in the town of Ripon, in the north of England, where they are directors of a pharmacy-tech company. They wanted a reasonable drive to their Scottish second home, and to be close to Sean’s family, many of whom are based around Edinburgh.

This brought them to Argyll and Bute, a 2,667-square-mile region of lochs, islands and wild coastline, just west of the city of Glasgow, over 90 miles from Edinburgh, and a four-hour drive from Ripon. The area includes part of the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, one of Scotland’s two national parks. Its 720 square miles are notable for their varied mix of highland and lowland landscapes, mountains and lakes (or lochs), and rich wildlife, from red deer to peregrine falcons.

Demand from a steady wave of returning expats, second-home owners, and commuters from Glasgow is steadily pushing prices upward in both the region of Argyll and Bute, as well as neighboring Renfrewshire.

According to the latest U.K. House Price Index, the U.K. government’s official record of property sale prices, average prices in Argyll and Bute increased by 8% between November 2023 and November 2024. The growth rate dipped slightly to 5.9% between December 2023 and December 2024. Average sale prices in Renfrewshire, which is immediately west of Glasgow, are up 10% over the period ending December 2024.

Meanwhile, average prices across Scotland grew by almost 7% and England saw growth of 4.3% in the same period.

Castle Cove was listed for offers over $1.52 million. Jenny and Sean ended up paying slightly over $1.8 million to secure the property. Since the August 2024 purchase, the couple have set about redecorating and installing a new kitchen. They now plan to split their time between their two homes. Jenny said the nearest town, Helensburgh, is half an hour away and has basic shops. Glasgow is 45 minutes away.

Over the past couple of years, Jamie Currie, an estate agent at Galbraith Group estate agents, has seen a steady stream of buyers such as the Riddells moving to Scotland from England. Some are retirees while others plan to continue working. “You can commute back into Glasgow quite easily, or they are looking to work from home,” he said.

Overseas buyers tend to come from North America or Australia, drawn to the unspoiled ruralness of Argyll and Bute, says Currie. “Some have Scottish heritage, others have been on holiday here and just fallen in love,” he said. “They also see that they can get a lot of space here.”

These international buyers face two government buying taxes. The Land and Buildings Transaction Tax is charged at rates of up to 12%, depending on the value of the property. Buyers of second homes also pay the Additional Dwelling Supplement of 8%.

Then there is Council Tax, levied by the local government to pay for local services such as refuse collections. Rates vary depending on the value of the property, but across Argyll and Bute the annual payment for an average home stands at about $2,100. Second-home owners, whatever their nationality, pay a 100% surcharge.

Currie points to the region’s relative value for money compared with Scotland’s “central belt,” the area between Glasgow and Edinburgh. Prices in the central belt grew between 8% and 15% between March 2020 and September 2021, he said, making western Scotland look like excellent value.

Another factor in Scottish price growth is its sales system. Rather than listing a property with an asking price or guide price, homes are usually listed with an “offers over” price tag and buyers are encouraged to make their best offer to secure it. Most homes which go over the “offers over” price are sold at 5% to 10% more, said Currie, although some go far higher.

“Anything with a coastal view is doing very well,” he said. “People are paying between 12% and 16% over the price for those properties.”

The buyers looking for a home in Argyll and Bute who come to Kevin Maley, director of country house sales at estate agent Rettie, tend to be in their 40s or 50s from either Scotland or England. Many, he said, have retired early or work from home, freeing them up to live where they please. “They can sell quite an expensive property down south, and prices up here do not compare so they can buy something substantial and significant, with land,” he said.

Popular locations, says Maley, are the villages close to Argyll and Bute’s most scenic tourist towns, places such as Helensburgh, Oban, Campbeltown, and Rothesay. Like Currie, he says that a water view is always sought after, and buyers should expect to pay from around $650,000 for a historic period house with four bedrooms and a couple of acres of land.

Traditionally, homes on Argyll and Bute’s chain of islands have been less accessible and therefore less expensive than those on the mainland. Getting to islands such as the Isle of Arran or Islay requires a ferry ride. “Thanks to changes such as the internet and working from home, I think the islands have now caught up,” said Maley. “Prices are very similar to the mainland.”

Maley said that the homes that are currently getting the highest bids tend to be ready to move into. “People are a bit more wary of buying older properties which have not had work done to them,” said Maley. “They want something manageable and efficient. They are very aware of the environment and don’t want big places which cost a lot to heat, regardless of their wealth.”

You can find the full article here.