The Real Cost of Buying a First Home in Balmedie
A first purchase at the £240,000 Balmedie average needs about £28,600 in cash, made up of £24,000 deposit, £1,300 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 £240,000 Balmedie average needs about £28,600 in cash, made up of £24,000 deposit, £1,300 LBTT with first time buyer relief, and roughly £3,300 in fees.
What a first Balmedie purchase costs in cash
On the local average the deposit is £24,000, LBTT is £1,300 and fees are near £3,300. Total cash needed is about £28,600.
First time buyer relief raises the LBTT nil rate band to £175,000, saving you £600 against the standard charge of £1,900 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 Balmedie.
Borrowing power on a Balmedie income
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.
Running costs from week one
Band D council tax in Aberdeenshire is £1,686 a year, which is £141 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.
The Balmedie detail first buyers ask about
The schools families ask about here are Balmedie School, Bridge of Don Academy, Ellon Academy (nearby) and Further & additional-support provision. Ratings age between inspections, so read the latest report before you rely on one.
On getting about: Balmedie to Aberdeen (by road) takes about ~15 to 20 min drive.
By price, Balmedie ranks 8 of the 25 Aberdeenshire locations we cover, at £240,000 against a county average of £217,600. Band D council tax here is £1,686, against £1,686 across the county.
What your money buys in Balmedie
Balmedie is a desirable coastal Aberdeen-commuter village in Formartine, north of the city, famous for its beach and huge dunes.
The full local guide covers schools, transport and the market in detail: Balmedie property and area guide.
| Budget | What it buys here |
|---|---|
| Around £110,000 to £180,000 | A flat or a smaller home, the most accessible way into the market, popular with first-time buyers, investors and commuters. |
| Around £180,000 to £300,000 | A terrace, a semi or a family home on the modern estates, the heart of the Balmedie market. |
| £300,000 and above | A detached, coastal or country home near the beach, the top of the local market. |
- A famous beach and huge dunes on the doorstep (Balmedie Country Park)
- A quick road commute to Aberdeen and the airport via the A90 and the AWPR
- Good schools, Balmedie School, with Bridge of Don Academy for secondary
- Aberdeen genuinely close, about 9 miles for the city, work and the hospital
- A simple Scottish council-tax bill, no police, fire or community precept
- No railway station, the commute is by road (A90 and the AWPR) or bus
- The local market can move with Aberdeen's energy-sector economy
- Secondary catchment is an Aberdeen City school (a cross-boundary arrangement to confirm)
- Nearest full 24-hour blue-light A&E is Aberdeen Royal Infirmary (~9 miles), not in the village
- Coastal and dune-side homes need a survey and a flood check
Balmedie is known locally for Balmedie Beach & the dunes. The vast beach and huge sand dunes, protected as Balmedie Country Park, are the village's defining feature, one of the great stretches of the north-east coast for walking, wildlife and the sea. See Balmedie.
Practical detail for Balmedie: the AB23 postcode district, no railway station, the commute is by road on the A90 and the AWPR bypass (nearest rail in Aberdeen) and nearest A and E is Aberdeen Royal Infirmary (ARI), Aberdeen, the nearest full 24-hour blue-light A&E (~9 miles); there is no A&E in the village.
Balmedie at a glance
| Upfront cost | Balmedie figure |
|---|---|
| Average price | £240,000 |
| Deposit at 10% | £24,000 |
| LBTT, first time buyer | £1,300 |
| LBTT, standard rate | £1,900 |
| Legal, survey and moving | £3,300 |
| Total cash needed | £28,600 |
| Monthly repayment illustration | £1,263 |
Figures are local averages used for illustration. Confirm your own numbers before acting on them.
Ask about Balmedie
Three details is all we need. You are told before anything is passed to a partner firm.
Your checklist
- Total cash of about £28,600, not just the deposit
- Your LBTT position confirmed on revenue.scot
- A first year running cost budget including £1,686 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 Balmedie
Broadband speeds can vary street by street in Balmedie, 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 Balmedie?
Do first time buyers pay LBTT in Balmedie?
What is the biggest hidden cost?
How do I check broadband speed at a property in Balmedie?
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