ROBERT MCCULLOCH of Strutt & Parker attributes the recent surge in demand from English buyers for Scottish country properties of all shapes and sizes to three main factors: firstly, a reaction to the Covid pandemic among buyers from congested parts of the UK seeking more space in a picturesque and sparsely populated landscape; secondly, a greater awareness of the threat posed by climate change, which has boosted demand for environmental investment opportunities; thirdly, a more relaxed attitude among purchasers of large landed estates to the question of Scottish independence now that Britain has left the EU.
Reflecting the broad spectrum of purchasers seeking to buy north of the Border, Strutt & Parker (0131–226 2500) are offering the tranquil, 903-acre, Ardhuncart residential, farming, and sporting estate in the Don Valley, seven miles from the village of Alford and 31 miles from Aberdeen airport, for sale in nine lots on behalf of the estate’s trustees. Prices range from ‘offers over £50,000’ for a redundant range of farm buildings with development potential, to ‘offers over £2.95 million’ for the mixed-use estate as a whole. The closing date for bids is noon on September 7.
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