When we started looking for a house in this area of Scotland 30 years ago, there where lots of old Churches for sale, we did actually consider one, as they where relatively cheap. Also, at that time buying land was so easy and the prices where really reasonable.
We bought our place as a plot of land. We had no intention of buying land, it was just on the list of properties to look at.
We drove up the farm track and had to get out and walk as there was very little road. The place had an "L" shaped granite steadings( farm buldings) with a house on the end that had burnt down in the 1930's. The views where terrific with outlooks 30 miles including a view right across the Sea with Slains Castle in the foreground. The farmer was selling the place with 3 acres of ground on any side we picked as he wanted to build a riding school for his daughter and need cash to buy equipment.
We loved land, but the idea of building was daunting. The farmer asked us to shake his hand right away, as 20 people had looked at the place and no one was interested!!!!! We told him we would think it over and let him know next day.
We talked most of the evening and decided to try and buy the place and build a house. It was not easy to do and we had lots of problems and lots of hard work. We also had to sell our little house to raise the money and we live in rented property for 7 months with no central heating and no bath. It was so cold the budgie and all the plants we had died.
We often think how lucky we were to buy at a time when no one wanted land or to build a property themselves. The strange thing is initially we only bought the place to build a house and sell on so one day we would have enough money to buy a property in Aberdeen. Of course we fell in love with the place and never ever wanted to move.
