The Real Cost of Buying a First Home in Arbroath
A first purchase at the £165,000 Arbroath average needs about £19,800 in cash, made up of £16,500 deposit, £0 LBTT with first time buyer relief, and roughly £3,300 in fees.
The introduction costs you nothing. If you go ahead, we may be paid a fee by the firm we introduce you to.
A first purchase at the £165,000 Arbroath average needs about £19,800 in cash, made up of £16,500 deposit, £0 LBTT with first time buyer relief, and roughly £3,300 in fees.
Every pound you need before completion in Arbroath
On the local average the deposit is £16,500, LBTT is £0 and fees are near £3,300. Total cash needed is about £19,800.
First time buyer relief raises the LBTT nil rate band to £175,000, saving you £400 against the standard charge of £400 at this price. LBTT rates are set by the Scottish Government and collected by Revenue Scotland. Confirm the current position on revenue.scot before you complete.
Where the upfront cash goes
The commercial page for this town sets out the introduction itself: Mortgage advice in Arbroath.
Borrowing power on an Arbroath income
The costs that start the day you move in
Band D council tax in Angus is £1,599 a year, which is £133 a month. Add energy, water, insurance and maintenance.
Protection belongs in the same budget. If the mortgage depends on two incomes, it depends on both people staying well enough to earn. That is the part of the purchase we advise on directly.
In Scotland first time buyer relief raises the LBTT nil rate band to £175,000, worth up to £600. There is no upper price limit on the relief.
The Arbroath detail first buyers ask about
The schools families ask about here are Arbroath High School, Arbroath Academy, St Thomas of Aquin's RC Primary School, Hayshead Primary School and Warddykes Primary School. Ratings age between inspections, so read the latest report before you rely on one.
On getting about: Arbroath to Dundee takes about ~20 min.
By price, Arbroath ranks 7 of the 8 Angus locations we cover, at £165,000 against a county average of £190,000. Band D council tax here is £1,599, against £1,599 across the county.
What your money buys in Arbroath
Arbroath is the largest town in Angus, a historic fishing and former resort town, affordable, with genuine heritage and a working harbour.
The full local guide covers schools, transport and the market in detail: Arbroath property and area guide.
| Budget | What it buys here |
|---|---|
| Around £60,000 to £110,000 | A flat or harbour-area terrace, the most accessible way into the town, popular with first-time buyers, investors and commuters. |
| Around £110,000 to £210,000 | A terrace, a semi or a family home on the western edge or the newer estates, the heart of the Arbroath market. |
| £210,000 and above | A detached, villa or seafront home in the greener or coastal areas, the top of the local market. |
- Genuine national heritage, the Declaration of Arbroath, the abbey and the Smokie
- A direct main-line station to Dundee (~20 min) and Aberdeen (~50 min)
- Some of the most affordable coastal prices on the east coast
- A simple Scottish council-tax bill, no police, fire or community precept
- A working harbour, a beach and the Seaton Cliffs on the doorstep
- Nearest full 24-hour A&E is at Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, not in the town
- Low-lying, harbour-side and seafront homes carry coastal, tidal and Brothock Water flood risk
- An honest post-industrial and fishing-decline story in parts of the town
- Scottish Water is a separate charge added to the same bill (~£652 at Band D)
- A coastal town rather than a city, some journeys mean a change at Dundee
Arbroath is known locally for The Declaration of Arbroath, and Arbroath Abbey & the Declaration. Sealed at Arbroath Abbey in 1320, the Declaration of Arbroath is one of the most celebrated documents in Scottish history, a letter to the Pope asserting the nation's independence, and the reason the town's name is known across Scotland and beyond.
Practical detail for Arbroath: the DD11 postcode district, Arbroath, on the Dundee to Aberdeen main line (direct Dundee ~20 min, Aberdeen ~50 min) and nearest A and E is Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, the area's full 24-hour A&E (~20 miles); Arbroath Infirmary has a Minor Injuries Unit only.
Arbroath at a glance
| Upfront cost | Arbroath figure |
|---|---|
| Average price | £165,000 |
| Deposit at 10% | £16,500 |
| LBTT, first time buyer | £0 |
| LBTT, standard rate | £400 |
| Legal, survey and moving | £3,300 |
| Total cash needed | £19,800 |
| Monthly repayment illustration | £868 |
Figures are local averages used for illustration. Confirm your own numbers before acting on them.
Ask about Arbroath
Three details is all we need. You are told before anything is passed to a partner firm.
Your checklist
- Total cash of about £19,800, not just the deposit
- Your LBTT position confirmed on revenue.scot
- A first year running cost budget including £1,599 council tax
- Income protection quoted before completion, not after
The introduction costs you nothing. If you go ahead, we may be paid a fee by the firm we introduce you to.
Check broadband before you make an offer in Arbroath
Broadband speeds can vary street by street in Arbroath, so check the exact address before you commit. Ofcom's free checker shows which broadband speeds and mobile coverage are available at any UK property.
We can introduce you to a specialist who can combine your mobile, broadband and utilities into one bill. There's no fee for the introduction.
We don't provide these services ourselves. Switching household bills is not a regulated financial service, so FCA protections and the Financial Ombudsman do not apply. We'll only pass your details to the specialist if you ask us to. See our privacy notice.
Questions people ask
How much money do I need to buy a first home in Arbroath?
Do first time buyers pay LBTT in Arbroath?
What is the biggest hidden cost?
How do I check broadband speed at a property in Arbroath?
Read next
Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.