Let’s face it, everyone would love to live in a castle but not many people could ever afford to buy one. Well we ‘ve noticed an increasing number of castles being converted in flats, meaning you can live in one for a fraction of the cost. You might not own the whole castle, but then who really needs 10 bedrooms, a drawing room and servant’s quarters?

Here are a few of the best conversions we’ve found on s1homes:

Flat F, Arden House, Loch Lomond, Arden

Bonaly Road, Colinton

Horseley Brae, Garrion Tower, Wishaw

Flat 5, Lauder Road, Grange

Choosing a new house isn’t just about ‘location, location, location’ it’s also about knowing as much as possible about the properties you’re interested in. After all, you don’t want to buy a house where there’s been a gruesome murder or where the neighbour is in a heavy metal band.

Home reports and surveys can give you a lot of information about the condition of the building and how energy efficient it is, but this doesn’t tell you what it’s like to live there. To find out more about this you need to have a really good look around the property and ask lots of questions to the current owners and neighbours.

We’ve pulled together a list of things to look at and questions to ask, but please comment and tell us your experiences.

General:

Whether you’re buying a house or a flat, most people will spend a lot of time in the kitchen so it’s worth working out whether you’re comfortable with it. Stand at the sink and the cooker and try to work out if there is enough room to work your magic – if it’s too small then you may always resent buying the property.

If you love the property and the area, but are expecting your family to grow in the future, then investigate whether an extension is possible. It should be obvious if a loft extension is possible but check out what the neighbours have done and whether anyone has extended into the back garden. If none of the neighbours have then it would be worth contacting the local planning department to ask for guidance.

If you’re new to the area then ask the council tax band and how much it costs. Remember, a mortgage isn’t the only expenditure when buying a house.

If you’re looking to buy a flat then ask what the service charge is, who the factor is and what they are like to deal with. You should also ask if there has been any recent work done to the building or if there is any outstanding. You don’t want to buy the flat and then find out you need to spend hundreds of pounds having the close painted.

Fixtures and fittings:

When you buy a new property you probably want to put your own stamp on the place and redecorate some of the rooms to your own taste. What you don’t want to do is spend lots of money fixing things that they previous occupant left to decay for years. As such, it’s important to find out as much as possible and try and negotiate any issues into the price of the sale.

Ask when the property was last rewired. New electronics equipment and gizmos can draw a lot of power and old circuits might struggle to cope. If the wiring is 30 years old then you may need to spend a lot of money to upgrade in order to cope with modern demand.

The condition of the kitchen is also important. Test some of the drawers and cupboards and look under the sink for signs of wear or leaks. If the kitchen is worn then you might be looking at large expenditure for a new one and this should be reflected in the price you offer for the property.

Enquire about the boiler and central heating system. You need to know how old the boiler is, whether it’s a combi boiler, if it’s under guarantee and if it’s electric, mains or tanked gas.

After enquiring about the boiler you might also want to run the hot water to see how long it takes to heat up and what the pressure is like. If the pressure is low then it’s worth remembering the shower might not be as good as your current system.

Neighbours and area:

So you’ve found a nice property near the best school, close to the park and the railway station, that’s all you need to know right? Wrong. To find out whether this is the perfect place to setup home then you really need to find out what the neighbours are like and what the area is like to live in.

Crime is one of the biggest deterrents to living in any area so it’s important to find out what your potential new home is like. Researching the local crime statistics is only part of the story and it’s worth asking the current occupants and neighbours for more information. Ask if there have been any burglaries or car break-ins in the past couple of years and if it’s an area where teenagers hang around at night.

If you are looking to buy a flat then neighbours are even more important. By going to the door and asking some questions you should be able to work out if they are students, have children or have pets. Living below a flat where they leave two Doberman alone all night might cause you a few sleepless nights.

For anyone looking to buy property in a city or busy town then finding a parking space can be a big issue. If you don’t have your own off-street parking then visit the property at night and during the day to see how easy it is to get a space. If you’re got children and are regularly going to be parking round the corner then it might not be the property for you.

These questions should help you in your search for the perfect home but there will always be other things to look out for. Please add a comment with any questions or ideas that have been useful when you’ve been house hunting in the past…

A new mortgage indemnity scheme which which aims to drive 95% loan to value mortgages back into the lending mainstream and help get the housing market moving again has launched. It will help households who could sensibly and sustainably afford a mortgage on a new build property, but are currently locked out due to high deposit requirements.

Supported by the Scottish Government, MI New Home has been developed by Homes for Scotland, working with the Council of Mortgage Lenders and insurance specialists Jardine Lloyd Thompson, it is hoped the scheme will help up to 6,000 first time buyers and others looking to purchase a new build home, over the next three years.

Further details on the are available in our s1homes buying guide
.

Cabinet Secretary Alex Neil, who formerly had responsibility for housing,  said:

“We know that many people who want to buy a new build home are unable to do so because of high deposit requirements. We want to help these people get onto and move up the housing ladder, where it is sensible and sustainable for them.The scheme will inject new life into the housing market, with the aim of helping thousands of households to be able to buy a new build home that they can afford.

“I also want to send a clear signal to Scotland’s housing sector that this Government will do all it can to provide the kind of solid foundations and certainty our construction industry demands. It is one of many innovative schemes that we will support to deliver growth, support jobs and keep our economy moving. I would urge lenders and house builders to embrace the mortgage indemnity scheme to make it a success.”

Homes for Scotland Chief Executive, Philip Hogg,  said:

“Constraints surrounding mortgage lending have proved the single biggest obstacle to recovery in the housing market.

“It has therefore taken us a huge amount of effort and innovation to get to this point so we are absolutely delighted to be leading a scheme which we believe has the potential to make such a difference to so many fundamental areas.

“Our projections show that over the next three years the new scheme could create or safeguard 22,800 new construction jobs and 650 apprenticeships.

“Whether you choose to look at the delivery of much needed new housing investment, creating jobs, stimulating the wider economy or increasing the quality of Scotland’s housing stock, the social, economic and environmental benefits of implementing MI New Home are significant.”

We’ve got a brand new TV advert which will air for the first time tonight.

Earlier this year, we made s1homes.com even easier and quicker to use and our new campaign focuses on the idea that searching for a property on s1homes is ‘Good Looking’.

Watch the ad now and leave a comment to let us know what you think…

If you like it remember to share it on Facebook and Twitter to let everyone know that searching for property to buy or rent on s1homes is ‘Good Looking’.

Our latest quarterly house price report  shows there is still a significant Reality Gap (the difference between what house sellers hope to sell their properties for and the price they actually achieve) as sellers achieve almost 10% less than their asking price.

The s1homes Scottish house price report reveals that the average asking price across Scotland rose by 1.73% to £169,269, in the 3 months to June.  The average price that properties were actually sold for (as reported by Registers of Scotland) also increased from £148,733 (January to March) to £153,501 (April to June), up 3.2%.  However, this means the average property in Scotland is still selling for around £15,500 less than the asking price.   

Mark Smith, Managing Director of s1homes said: “The report shows that house sellers are still being unrealistic with their expectations and setting their asking prices too high. Even with the slight increase in selling prices achieved the gap between expectation and reality is still very marked, particularly at the higher end of the market.”

Commenting on the report, Moya McVey of The Glasgow Property Agency said: “It would appear that agents have had to deliver an honest pricing strategy at lower levels in the market in order to sell and evidence can be shown due to the volume of transactions.In the higher price brackets, the volume of transactions has dipped and consequently there is less evidence to point sellers in the right direction.”

At the lower end of the market (flats and terraced houses), sellers remain to be more realistic and are still achieving marginally above their asking prices. However, at the higher end, the Reality Gap remains with the average selling price of a detached house at almost 20% below the average asking price.

Across Scotland, the majority of regions saw a decrease in the Reality Gap due to average prices achieved rising further than average asking prices. However, North & South Lanarkshire, Glasgow/Dunbartonshire and Falkirk all saw increases in the Reality Gap.

Edinburgh has once again bucked the trend.  There is no Reality Gap in the capital with the average property being sold for slightly more than the asking price.

The report, published quarterly, samples around 30,000 properties advertised on s1homes.com every month and provides trends in the various property markets throughout Scotland. For more information visit www.s1homes.com/house-price-report.

With seven of the top ten most expensive rental properties on s1rental being in Edinburgh,  it’s clear that both supply and demand are still high in the capital. The combination of the various Edinburgh festivals, the parliament and many financial institutions mean that top properties can rent for over £8,000 per month.

The current top house for rent in Edinburgh can be found on Ratho Road for £8,350 pcm. It comprises of six bedrooms, five bathrooms and 5 public rooms, as well as a basement gym and tennis courts.

Well, who wouldn’t pay £8,350 pcm for a house with an orangery?

If you would prefer something even more grand, and you don’t like doing your own gardening, then Whittinghame House might contain the apartment for you. With three bedrooms and nearly 6000 square feet of living space, this has to be the most spectacular flat to rent in Edinburgh.

At £2,850 pcm, Whittinghame House is a relative bargain rental property (if you are an international banker) and manages to seamlessly combine neo-classical style architecture with modern day technology and comforts.

With over 16 acres of garden, this apartment is sure to keep all the family entertained for the rest of the glorious summer that Edinburgh is sure to enjoy.

People often complain that new build homes lack the character of period properties – not so with this stunning house in Bankfoot, Perth and Kinross

This property oozes country charm and has a real old world feel to it. The place you’ll most notice this is in the kitchen, complete with an Aga in the corner

Looking at the main lounge and master bedroom, would you believe that this house was less the a hundred years old (in terms of the charm, rather than the decor)?

As usual though, this kind of modern luxury comes at a price.  £1.4m if you want just the house and £2.85m if you want the whole estate. Surely it’s worth spending the extra money just to get the duck pond?

Today sees the launch of government approved schemes which help to protect tenants against rogue landlords wrongfully keeping their deposit.

SafeDeposits Scotland, The Letting Protection Service Scotland and MyDeposits Scotland will take deposits from landlords or their agents for safekeeping and provide key information about the tenancy, the deposit and the scheme to the tenant.

Landlords and letting agents have until next May to lodge all existing deposits but from 2nd October they are  required by law to hand over all new deposits within 30 working days of a tenancy starting. 

Housing Minister Keith Brown said: “These new regulations are historic because they offer, for the first time, a fair, cost effective approach that safeguards tenancy deposits.

The minister said most landlords behave responsibly, but added: “This legislation is aimed at tackling those who continue to tarnish the image of the private rented sector.”

The scheme is free for landlords and letting agents and will offer an independent dispute resolution service to help deal with disagreements over deposit returns and will be cheaper than seeking legal action.

If you have plans for world domination, would like the privacy to train your private army and somewhere to park your helicopter, then Eilean Rìgh is the place for you.

Located in Loch Craignish, Eilean Rìgh island is around 260 acres in size, has two houses,  an observatory, boat house, 2 slips ways and a jetty. To keep you connected to your global empire, the island also has mains electricity and broadband internet access. It’s also quite stunning:

The island isn’t just about nice views and modern technology, it’s also steeped in history. Two iron age forts have been found on the island and it’s had a couple of interesting owners over the years. The first notable one is Sir Reginald Johnston, tutor to Puyi, the last Emperor of China. Under his ownership the island was modernised (to 1930s standards) and had Chinese gardens installed. The current owner is Christian Siva-Jothy,  a former Goldman Sachs partner who retired in 2005. Due to Goldman’s notoriety over the past decade, it’s likely that the island has played host to more than a few movers and shakers in the financial and political world.

Whoever buys Eilean Rìgh is going to own one of the most accessible private islands in the world. If this sounds like the kind of place you would like to own then  all you need to do is save up £3,000,000…..or be the partner in a bank.