A recent study has crowned Scotland’s “most affordable” town, shedding light on the best spots across the UK for property-seekers prioritising their budgets.
Choosing where to set up home is a complex choice influenced by various factors, including local facilities and employment prospects. But for numerous house hunters, affordability takes the top spot in decision-making.
The latest figures from Zoopla have pinpointed the most budget-friendly areas in each nation and region of the UK, based on how house prices stack up against average local earnings for a couple.
Emerging as Scotland’s bargain property champion is the town of Cumnock in East Ayrshire, demanding an approximate 1.1 times annual household earnings to purchase a property.
Zoopla calculations suggest the average home price in Cumnock stands at £80,300, whereas the typical household income is estimated at £75,800.
With approximately 9,000 residents, Cumnock lies roughly an hour’s drive from Glasgow and boasts traditional Victorian charm, with a slew of handy amenities including retailers and dining options.
The town has a rich history, intertwined with socialism.The founder of the Labour Party, James Keir Hardie, lived in Cumnock for a large part of his life, and it’s a strong mining centre.
It’s the second largest town in East Ayrshire and has a mix of independent retailers and high street shops to browse.
Once you’ve worked up an appetite browsing all the shops, why not pop into one of the many cafes and eateries dotted around the town?
Excellent home-baking and light lunches can be found at Words of Wisdom in the Square or Millies Corner in Timbermill, but if you’re after something a little more substantial then The Royal Hotel offers a wide range of menus, from dining in their restaurant to a simple snack in their relaxing lounge.
There’s also culture to be had; Dumfries HJouse is just outside Cumnock built by the Adam Brothers between 1745 and 1759. It was preserved for the public to enjoy by HRH Prince Charles, Duke of Rothesay in 2008.
The house keeps a world renowned collection of Chippendale furniture and is a fabulous place to visit for a day of wandering through its halls and gardens.
Ferndale in Wales, Shildon in the North East, and Gainsborough in the East Midlands also rank highly as the UK’s most accessible property hotspots.
However, even Croydonthe most wallet-friendly area within Londonexceeds the countrywide standard affordability ratio for dual-income homes.
A recent study has revealed that couples with two incomes in the UK are typically shelling out almost quadruple their combined earnings to buy a home, while single individuals are coughing up around 7.6 times their annual salary.
Zoopla’s top property expert Izabella Lubowiecka weighed in: “London remains the least affordable area for home-buyers. Those in London looking to get more for their money may want to consider buying in one of the South East and East of England’s commuter belt, where there are many towns that are more affordable than London.”
She added: “The same is ‘true’ in markets around many regional cities and we see buyers seeking value for money.”
Caught in the crosshairs of high living costs and a cautious economic outlook, Toby Leek, President of NAEA Propertymark, said: “Affordability for many is a real issue and, as purse strings remain tightened despite easing factors such as slight drops in inflation, prospective and current home-owners will be looking to enter the market with caution, but also, in some cases, further flexibility in where they nest themselves.”
He added: “As many people no longer have the restriction of basing themselves from a static office full-time, they are able to look elsewhere to actually step on to the housing ladder for the first time or find their next, more affordable dream home.”
Highlighting the quest for affordability, the studies point towards the most wallet-friendly locations in the UK for securing a property.