[ghiya_white_gourd]

Hello,

We are new to greenshifting (several years of city rat race and all that) and a friend suggested we look at smallholdings. My wife has decided to become a full time mother for the time being and plans to do something connected with nature (I reckon she still needs to work this out properly) rather than go back into corporate life. I will keep my job to sustain a small mortgage we would need for this project. Something on the lines of an organic vegetable and herb farmlet (hence the display name!). Would £100K or so allow us to get into anything resembling a small holding (with accom for small family) which is commutable from Glasgow?

Any advice most helpful.

Many thanks.

[Fleecewife]

It's easy enough to buy houses but very difficult to buy land.  I think you are right that you need to know exactly what you want before you start to look, although I suppose sussing out the market is also good.
 
We are commutable from Glasgow, but we are definitely staying put on our smallholding 
 
Oops - I don't think we're meant to have discussions in Marketplace...............

[Ina]

Would £100K or so allow us to get into anything resembling a small holding (with accom for small family) which is commutable from Glasgow?

I shouldn't think so - but I'll avoid further discussion here...

[Rosemary]

Would £100K or so allow us to get into anything resembling a small holding (with accom for small family) which is commutable from Glasgow?

Not a chance 

[HappyHippy]

Hi,
The house next door to me is for sale we're at Lesmahagow - 10 minutes from the M74 - lovely house (5 bedrooms) and 2 acres of ground. Depending on what part of Glasgow you're commuting to, you can do it in 30 minutes  But, it's no where near to 100K unfortunately  It is however a great price for what you get.
[url][http://www.slaterhogg.co.uk/buy/property/5-bedroom-house-in-lesmahagow,ml11-for-offers-over-gbp-215,000-ref-1588668//url]

I think to do it for 100K you'd need to go further away from Glasgow or look for a house that needs loads of work done, not saying it's impossible - but there won't be many to choose from.
Good luck with your search 

[doganjo]

There was a place in Fife \advertised on here for that price but only a static caravan with promise of possible planning consent, and a bit too far for a  Glasgow commute.  TBH you'll be struggling to get a but n ben for that price anywhere near the town

[ballingall]

Prices across the whole commuter belt for central Scotland are high. You might find something, but it will be tough. For that price, you would only get a tiny house, or an absolute wreck. A semi detached house nearby us went for under 100k recently- no land, but there is a field roundabout the properties, but then you would have to convince the farmer to sell you a bit of it!


If you know it's definitely Glasgow you'll be working in, look at Ayrshire, and as far down as you can, as prices are a bit cheaper. Remember to bear in mind the commute, if its an hours drive, that's an hours worth of fuel, and at least an hour before you get home every night. I have a 25mile commute out of Edinburgh, if I leave the office at 5:30, that can be nearly 7pm by the time I get home. Sometimes quicker, but occasionally even longer.


Good luck


Beth

[SallyintNorth]

Here's the smallholding and static caravan in West Lothian someone mentioned.

[goosepimple]

Don't buy a wreck and think you can do it up while you are doing a bit of smallholding on the side and having a day job, if your kids are wee it will be totally exhausting and you won't have time for them.  If you have a lengthy commute you won't see your family enough, the commute will become a killer and you will become isolated and end up living a separate life from your wife and kids.
 
Why not just get a house on the edge of a village where farmland is around you - a farmer may sell you a bit, will help you with livestock if you need it and rent it to you or you rent it back to him.  And your kids will be grateful for having space to run around but other children nearby so they have friends (when they get to about 10 this is important to them) and if they have friends it allows you time to fit in other stuff like growing and livestocking.
 
While smallholding can be great, it can mean a lot of sacrifices along the way, your wife won't have a lot of time to do chores around the place when the kids are little and if the weather is bleak.  Look for a package that fits Ghiya, don't create work for yourself and stress for everyone.  There is something out there for you, be very selective.

[Anke]

Would £100K or so allow us to get into anything resembling a small holding (with accom for small family) which is commutable from Glasgow?

Not a chance 

Not even a cottage in a village with a garden... sorry to disappoint.

[gardenjeannie]

I'm in Ayrshire.  If you read my intro post, you will see how little space I have for a wannabe smallholder.  A lot more could be done with my space if I did not have young kids. (5 and 10).  It would not support livestock other than hens.  I rent, and have asked the price to buy, and I could not buy for less than £175, 000.  I love it here, as I am a homebuddy, even working from home grooming dogs (single mum), but it is not as good for my boys.  Whilst I can control who they play with out of school hours, for my peace of mind as we are 2 miles from the nearest village, I don't want them to grow up as isolated as I CHOSE to be.  I, and they, are lucky in some ways, as they have never known any different, but if your kids are used to company, it would be cruel to move them to a place where company could be a difficult thing to achieve. OK whilst you can run two cars, one for your commute, and another for your wife and kids to stay in touch with people, but what happens if a car is off the rd, as mine is now?  Can your wife and kids stand TOTAL isolation until it is fixed?
I thought that I could be a stay-at-home  Mum, grow veg and be happy whilst I brought up the boys. Even with my partner, who worked on the estate that we lived on, I did not have the time with a baby/toddler in tow.  Even now that my youngest is at school, I rarely get the time to tend my garden, or the weather when I have the time, tho' I still try.  I would concur with one of the last replies.  Stay on the edge of a village with a school, other kids and company for your wife, and try to rent some land from a farmer. On a short lease, to see if it suits.  I did that with some success years ago, before the kids, on my own, until I moved to Scotland.
I'm sorry to rain on your bonfire, or give ammunition to take home, whichever, but whilst living the 'Good Life' may suit some in a family, it may not suit all.  I love it, but perhaps my boys may say different if asked and given a choice.
Think lots more, and talk together lots more.  If your wife would like to ask more, or yourself, I think I have put on here that I can be contacted by email.  I may have put things not allowed on the site;- I'm new so not sure on that, but I AM sure that it has to be a decision that you BOTH make, not a compromise or a sop to one or other. Even a family sized fruit and veg garden takes time and commitment and small amounts of capital input at the most inconvenient times.  A smallholding would require a lot more, and I would not consider it unless I could own my property and still have money spare to start it.

Regards

Ruth

[goosepimple]

Well said gardenjeannie, we do sound pesimistic don't we but its reality, 2 cars is a killer and if you live isolated then you're in the car a lot, diesel is horrendous.  I love having a smallholding but we certainly lived much more cheaply (a lot) by living in Edinburgh and walking or busing it.  We're not a materialistic family at all but just getting the basics and enduring running costs (the latter being the hidden danger) is costly.  Breathing costs these days, don't want to stop that though 

[happygolucky]

Hi, we are looking at buying a house, the ones I like are snapped up or too far from humans , all with any land are more than £100,000 from what I have seen unless they need loads of work and that's the problem...you need some skills yourself as its so difficult to get any work done not to mention the cost.
I so would love a dooer upper but no chance with our lack of skills!!
I hope you do find something, would be fandabbydosie!

[doganjo]

The other thing to remember is that if you own something just now you really must think about selling it first in this climate unless you can afford two mortgages on that one salary.  25 years ago when Aberdeen was in a BP generated slump we had to go into a rented house fro 4 months till we found a suitable property in the country.  That could be an option too - to rent something till you get on your feet.

[ghiya_white_gourd]

Many thanks for the very insightful replies (particularly gardenjeannie, ballingall and goosepimple). Yes, we would need a lot more thinking into this but there is a sense that maybe it is doable etc. (something about destiny - maybe it runs in my blood (great-grandfather and all previous generations we know of were farmers although the chain was broken by my grandfather who went to join the army). Yet again, we shouldn't be selfish and also think of the kids social life and friends. I will probably be PMing a few to discussion further (perhaps arranging a visit to see smallholding life in action) but thanks so much for the frank and heartfelt comments.