Downsizing in Ellon: What You Would Actually Release
Selling at the £210,000 Ellon average and buying at £147,000 releases about £57,110 after costs. Fees, LBTT and moving take roughly £5,890 of it.
The introduction costs you nothing. If you go ahead, we may be paid a fee by the firm we introduce you to.
Selling at the £210,000 Ellon average and buying at £147,000 releases about £57,110 after costs. Fees, LBTT and moving take roughly £5,890 of it.
Running the downsizing numbers in Ellon
Start with the gap. Selling at £210,000 and buying at 70% of that, £147,000, leaves £63,000 before costs. Costs are the part people underestimate.
Agent fees at 1.5% are £3,150. LBTT on the purchase is £40. Total £5,890, leaving £57,110 in hand.
Moving within Aberdeenshire rather than out of it keeps you near family and known services. The county average price is £217,600, against £210,000 here.
Where the sale proceeds go
The commercial page for this town sets out the introduction itself: Equity release in Ellon.
Two routes to the same cash, priced
A lifetime mortgage at 65 on the same property would release about £71,400. Downsizing nets £57,110. The difference is that downsizing costs you the house, and equity release costs you the estate.
Over twenty years that £71,400 release grows to roughly £251,588. The downsizing figure does not grow at all, because there is no debt.
Bands, stock and timing
Council tax follows the property, not the person. Band D in Aberdeenshire is £1,686, and a smaller home may sit in a lower band. Check the band before you offer, not after.
Downsizing works best when you are not in a hurry.
What a move within Ellon looks like
The schools families ask about here are Ellon Academy, Ellon Primary School, Auchterellon School and Ellon cluster primaries. Ratings age between inspections, so read the latest report before you rely on one.
On getting about: Ellon to Aberdeen (by road) takes about ~25 to 30 min drive.
By price, Ellon ranks 15 of the 25 Aberdeenshire locations we cover, at £210,000 against a county average of £217,600. Band D council tax here is £1,686, against £1,686 across the county.
Is Ellon right to stay in?
Ellon is a historic Formartine market town on the River Ythan, now one of the fastest-growing Aberdeen-commuter towns, home of BrewDog.
The full local guide covers schools, transport and the market in detail: Ellon property and area guide.
- An easy road commute to Aberdeen (~25 to 30 min) up the A90
- Good schools and a modern academy (2015 campus)
- Plenty of modern family housing and new-build choice
- The BrewDog brewery as a local employer and visitor draw
- The River Ythan, estuary and Sands of Forvie on the doorstep
- No railway station, the commute is by road or bus
- Nearest full 24-hour blue-light A&E is Aberdeen Royal Infirmary (~16 miles), not in the town
- A lot of recent new-build growth, check developer, adoption and factoring
- New-build supply and Aberdeen's energy-linked market are worth watching
- Riverside and low-lying homes need a flood check near the Ythan
| Who it suits | Out of five | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Downsizers & retirees | ★★★☆☆ | A walkable, well-served town with the estuary and coast nearby, though the nearest full 24-hour A&E is Aberdeen Royal Infirmary about 16 miles away, a real consideration for some. |
| Commuters (to Aberdeen) | ★★★★☆ | About 16 miles and 25 to 30 minutes up the A90 dual carriageway (with the AWPR bypass) plus frequent buses, an easy road commute, though there is no railway station in the town. |
| Families | ★★★★★ | A modern academy and good primaries, lots of newer family housing, parks and amenities, and the Ythan estuary and coast nearby, a genuinely popular family choice; check catchments. |
| First-time buyers | ★★★★☆ | Newer estate homes and town-centre flats offer choice at the more accessible end (often from around £110,000 to £160,000), and LBTT relief helps many buyers pay little or no purchase tax. |
| Property developers & investors | ★★★★☆ | A fast-growing town with strong commuter and BrewDog-linked rental demand can support buy-to-let, though the new-build supply and Aberdeen's energy-linked market are worth watching, do your homework. |
Ellon is known locally for The home of BrewDog, and The BrewDog brewery & DogTap. Ellon is the home of BrewDog, the well-known Scottish craft brewer, whose original brewery, headquarters and DogTap taproom are in the town, a genuine local employer and a modern part of Ellon's identity. See brewdog.com.
Practical detail for Ellon: the AB41 postcode district, none, Ellon has no railway station; nearest at Dyce and Aberdeen; commute by road or bus and nearest A and E is Aberdeen Royal Infirmary (ARI), Aberdeen, the nearest full 24-hour blue-light A&E (~16 miles); there is no A&E in the town.
Ellon has history behind the price. In Medieval, Ellon is the head of the Earldom of Buchan, with the Moot Hill by the Ythan a seat of local government; a market town for Formartine grows around the river crossing.
Ellon at a glance
| Downsizing line | Ellon figure |
|---|---|
| Sale price, local average | £210,000 |
| Purchase at 70% of value | £147,000 |
| Estate agent at 1.5% | £3,150 |
| LBTT on purchase | £40 |
| Legal and moving | £2,700 |
| Total costs | £5,890 |
| Net released | £57,110 |
| Lifetime mortgage alternative at 65 | £71,400 |
Figures are local averages used for illustration. Confirm your own numbers before acting on them.
Ask about Ellon
Three details is all we need. You are told before anything is passed to a partner firm.
Your checklist
- A real valuation of your home, not the £210,000 average
- The council tax band of the property you are buying
- Total moving costs of about £5,890
- The equity release comparison, in writing, before you decide
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 Ellon
Broadband speeds can vary street by street in Ellon, 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 would I release by downsizing in Ellon?
Is downsizing better than equity release?
What are the costs of moving?
How do I check broadband speed at a property in Ellon?
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