Where to buy on a budget?

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Where to buy on a budget?
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alice

Joined: 18 Feb 2006
Posts: 2820

Posted: Fri Aug 12, 11 3:25 pm Post subject:
Cath123 - have pm'd you.

Andrea

Joined: 02 May 2005
Posts: 2260
Location: Portugal

Posted: Sat Aug 13, 11 8:06 am Post subject:

Cath123 wrote:

Andrea I am fascinated to hear your story! It is also very inspiring. I am familiar with the local school = integration perspective and do appreciate its truth! How have your children got on? How do you find the Portugese system? That is quite a commute - longer than the option we had in the highlands Lochinver to Ullapool. I don't think I could put my daughter into that, but I guess they get used to it? And it seems to be a truism in so many places I've looked at, any where nice to live i.e. rural, you face a long commute to school - which seems to be in some ways counterproductive of the kind of life we are looking for - what a world!

My kids are in local school here. The elder gets very tired with his commute, particularly in the winter. When he first started it it used to scare the pants off me as it's a public bus he catches for the main part of the journey, and if he misses it there isn't another. The one time he missed it my phone wasn't working and neither was our car ....! Thankfully someone picked him up, phoned someone else, who phoned someone else, and eventually someone very kindly drove him all the way home (whilst I was frantically trying to track him down / borrow a car / panic, panic!)

I have a decision to make next year about whether the younger also starts there, or goes to a slightly more local school but then has to change schools again in a few years.

When we first came to Portugal I intended to homeschool. I changed my mind very rapidly when I realised how isolated we would become. It's been the right decision as the kids are now looked upon as locals whilst I will always be a foreigner.

clydesdaleclopper

Joined: 22 Jun 2009
Posts: 100
Location: N E Scotland

Posted: Sat Aug 13, 11 11:38 am Post subject:
I'm in Aberdeenshire and it's great. We are literally on the border with Moray and I'd say Moray is that bit cheaper as it's not commutable to Aberdeen so you don't get the inflated prices from all the oil people. I've got round the schools issue by home edding. The Moray Solicitors Property Centre is https://www.spcmoray.com/ and the Aberdeen one is https://www.aspc.co.uk/

Cath123

Joined: 06 Aug 2011
Posts: 10

Posted: Tue Aug 16, 11 1:25 pm Post subject:

Many thanks to you all for all your replies and advice and your own stories: it does help with giving a wider perspective and inspires too.

Andrea thanks for telling me your school experiences! I guess your boys benefit from being integrated in Portugese local society, depsite the commute and being away for so long during the week. I have homeschooled and can confirm it can be isolating even in your own country and being part of a network. I wouldn't do it abroad either for the reasons you give, but would worry about that journey (character forming to say the least!).

Clydesdalehopper thanks so much for your comments - believe it or not my daughter and I lived for 2 years at the Findhorn community in Moray and I homeschool too (though want to stop soon!) - I did some things with Noshed, perhaps we even met!

A

Cath123

Joined: 06 Aug 2011
Posts: 10

Posted: Tue Aug 16, 11 1:36 pm Post subject:

And Clydesdalehopper thank you for those property sites.

And Andy thanks for explaining why the Aberdeenshire prices fluctuate - I thought I'd missed the boat for Aberdeenshire but will keep watching.

Finally Marigold thanks for your comments. As I said I wasn't planning setting up a big or even medium small holding "business"; just looking to feed my family clean food, keep some livestock and enjoy the lifestyle that goes with it. Money for converting outbuildings would probably come from initial holiday/summer lets on the house, if I went down that road, though I would do a lot of the work myself or with friends. I've wwoofed on lots of crofts and small holdings and seen/worked on the same thing. Family tax credit supports families on low incomes in the UK, and there are grants to start up small businesses. I don't think a semi with a large garden would ever be for me and is not the kind of lifestyle I would want for my daughter either which is why I posted my query in the first place!

WandaBlue

Joined: 03 Feb 2011
Posts: 40
Location: Sanday, Orkney

Posted: Wed Aug 17, 11 2:30 pm Post subject:

I've just bought over 6 acres on Sanday but haven't moved up yet (house/tractor shed needs scrubbing

). Visited last week and it was beautiful on the island, the people I spoke to were helpful and friendly. Luckily I don't have kids so this is not an issue for me. The links to the Mainland are excellent and it's only an hour and a half to Kirkwall on the car ferry. I can't wait to make the final leap. Alice, which island are you on? Local knowledge is a wonderful thing.

alice

Joined: 18 Feb 2006
Posts: 2820

Posted: Wed Aug 17, 11 3:20 pm Post subject:
Hello and welcome . I'm over on Stronsay. Pm me if there's anything specific you'd like to know.

gil
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 08 Jun 2005
Posts: 18415

Posted: Wed Aug 17, 11 4:27 pm Post subject:
Hope the move goes smoothly, Wanda.

WandaBlue

Joined: 03 Feb 2011
Posts: 40
Location: Sanday, Orkney

Posted: Wed Aug 17, 11 7:15 pm Post subject:
Thank you Alice for your messages and thank you Gil for your good wishes. I suspect I may be asking many dumb questions here in the not too distant future. Cath123 I hope you find something suitable soon. I found mine on the Greenshifters site (it was also listed on Tepilo). Well worth a look.

Cath123

Joined: 06 Aug 2011
Posts: 10

Posted: Thu Aug 18, 11 7:15 pm Post subject:
Congratulations WandaBlue and best of luck and thank you for your good wishes. Sanday does look lovely and I have heard happy reports, and lucky you not having to think about schools, etc.,! I did used to look at Greenshifters, thanks for reminding me - I don't know Tepilo so thanks for telling me about it.

Cath123

Joined: 06 Aug 2011
Posts: 10

Posted: Sat Sep 10, 11 1:54 pm Post subject: Got a great place!!!

Just to say thanks so much to all of you for your comments and advice, it was so heartening - and Biggest thanks to the Orkney resident who sent me the link to Low's Property, Orkney - my modest offer on a stone house with 5.1 acres, outbuildings and greenhouses on South Ronaldsay has been accepted!

What a great website/forum, I am sure I too will be asking questions in the future here, all the best to you all!

Andrea

Joined: 02 May 2005
Posts: 2260
Location: Portugal

Posted: Sat Sep 10, 11 5:10 pm Post subject:
Many congratulations Cath, and best wishes for your new life in Orkney!

Cathryn

Joined: 16 Jul 2005
Posts: 19856
Location: Ceredigion

Posted: Sat Sep 10, 11 6:43 pm Post subject:
Good luck Cath! Orkney looks very lovely.

gil
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 08 Jun 2005
Posts: 18415

Posted: Sat Sep 10, 11 7:17 pm Post subject: Re: Got a great place!!!

Cath123 wrote:

What a great website/forum, I am sure I too will be asking questions in the future here, all the best to you all!

Lucky you ! That was the one I saw and rather liked. The very best of luck for your move and future life up there.

alice

Joined: 18 Feb 2006
Posts: 2820

Posted: Fri Sep 16, 11 7:16 pm Post subject:
Ooh, how exciting! South Ronaldsay is where I would choose if I had to live on the Mainland. Good luck with the move. One word of advice. Hire professionals to move your stuff - even if you have to sell a kidney to pay for it. I wish I had

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