Month: May 2019

Are you a first time buyer in Stirling?

If you are looking to buy your first home in Stirling …. I would say that’s awesome, I’m really not surprised it truly is a magical place to work and live!  We get lots of enquiries from first time buyers in Stirling unsure on their mortgage options but keen to get on the ladder in the Stirling area.

With its castle, monument and abundance of history it’s seems a good choice for those looking for a location to call home. As one of the fastest-growing cities in Scotland it could also be a sound investment for those looking to get onto the property market.

The city has a lower than average proportion of residents under the age of 16, as well as a lower percentage of people 65 and older. The largest age group in Stirling is 16-29 group, which makes up over 24% of the total population.

Why are so many people choosing Stirling to buy their first home?

Stirling comes out top for affordability. The average house price in the city is £186,084 which is 4.03 times local earnings. This is well below the Scottish average of 5.35 times local earnings and the rest of the UK at 7.20. Due to magnificent history and interest from new build developers, there is a great choice of property styles in Stirling. Over the last 20 years there has been new build housing developments from reputable builders including Ogilvie Homes, Barratt Homes, Robertson Homes, Cala Homes, Persimmon Homes, Taylor Wimpey, Stewart Milne and Avant Homes to name a few!

From Bannockburn to a cliff-top castle Stirling is steeped in rich and riveting history, with more than 34,790 people calling this city home. Stirling is known as the ‘Gateway to the Highlands’, situated at the point where lowland Scotland and the highlands meet. It was once a pivotal strategic point and Scotland’s seat of power was at Stirling Castle.

Nowadays it’s a vibrant university city with fantastic connections to the rest of the country. Not only does it offer breath-taking scenery, it also offers first time buyers an outstanding quality of life and its accessible location makes it an appealing place to live.

Stirling is very well connected which means you can have the best of both worlds living in Stirling (affordable housing/spectacular views/friendly people) and work in Glasgow or Edinburgh. By rail you can get to Edinburgh in just under an hour. The fastest journey time is 38 minutes. On an average weekday, there are 42 trains per day travelling from Edinburgh to Stirling.

The average journey time between Glasgow and Stirling is 37 minutes. The fastest journey time is 26 minutes. On an average weekday, there are 85 trains per day travelling from Glasgow to Stirling; By car – Glasgow, 32-43 mins. M9 and A9, north and south. To Edinburgh around an hour via the M9.

What Next?

When you have decided Stirling is the place to buy, then your next port of call will be to check you are eligible for a Mortgage to purchase your new home.  Bon Accord Mortgages is a local and trusted Mortgage Broker specialising in Mortgages for First Time Buyers in Stirling. Those looking for further information about schemes to help people first time buyers get onto the property ladder including Help to Buy. Great news Help to Buy (Scotland) has recently been extended until March 2021! With Help to Buy (Scotland) you will need only a 5% deposit to buy a new home. You will get an equity loan from the Scottish Government up to 15% of the value of the property, which means you only need to get an 80% mortgage. This is an attractive scheme for First Time Buyers who don’t have a huge deposit.

If you’d like to find out more about Bon Accord Mortgages please call on 01786 439569 or start your journey online – https://www.bonaccordmortgages.com/

* https://www.scotland.org/news/stirling-is-the-most-affordable-city-in-the-uk By Seonaid Heeps, 2018
* http://worldpopulationreview.com/world-cities/stirling-population/2019