Downsizing in Fort Augustus: What You Would Actually Release
Selling at the £260,000 Fort Augustus average and buying at £182,000 releases about £70,660 after costs. Fees, LBTT and moving take roughly £7,340 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 £260,000 Fort Augustus average and buying at £182,000 releases about £70,660 after costs. Fees, LBTT and moving take roughly £7,340 of it.
The downsizing sum for Fort Augustus
Start with the gap. Selling at £260,000 and buying at 70% of that, £182,000, leaves £78,000 before costs. Costs are the part people underestimate.
Agent fees at 1.5% are £3,900. LBTT on the purchase is £740. Total £7,340, leaving £70,660 in hand.
Where the sale proceeds go
The commercial page for this town sets out the introduction itself: Equity release in Fort Augustus.
Two routes to the same cash, priced
A lifetime mortgage at 65 on the same property would release about £88,400. Downsizing nets £70,660. The difference is that downsizing costs you the house, and equity release costs you the estate.
Over twenty years that £88,400 release grows to roughly £311,490. The downsizing figure does not grow at all, because there is no debt.
What the move costs beyond money
Council tax follows the property, not the person. Band D in Highland is £1,634, 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 Fort Augustus looks like
The schools families ask about here are Kilchuimen Primary School, Kilchuimen Academy, Glenurquhart Primary & High (Drumnadrochit), Great Glen area primaries and Gaelic-medium provision (Highland). Ratings age between inspections, so read the latest report before you rely on one.
On getting about: Fort Augustus to Inverness takes about ~50 min to 1h drive.
By price, Fort Augustus ranks 8 of the 32 Highland locations we cover, at £260,000 against a county average of £215,469. Band D council tax here is £1,634, against £1,634 across the county.
Is Fort Augustus right to stay in?
Fort Augustus is a small, historic Loch Ness village around the Caledonian Canal locks, tourism-led, at premium prices.
The full local guide covers schools, transport and the market in detail: Fort Augustus property and area guide.
Moving within Highland rather than out of it keeps you near family and known services. The county average price is £215,469, against £260,000 here.
- A beautiful Loch Ness village, the canal locks, the loch and the Great Glen on the doorstep
- The Great Glen Way, boat cruises and world-class scenery
- A real village centre with shops, cafes and a primary school
- A simple Scottish council-tax bill, no police, fire or community precept
- A classic Highland base, Inverness, Fort William, the Cairngorms and Skye within reach
- Premium, holiday-market prices and very limited stock, local affordability is a genuine strain
- No railway station in the village, the car is essential, and rail means driving to Inverness or Fort William
- No hospital in the village, the major A&E is Raigmore in Inverness (~35 miles)
- Scottish Water is a separate charge (~£652 at Band D), and a second-home premium applies
- The A82 is a busy single-carriageway tourist road, and winter weather can disrupt travel
| Who it suits | Out of five | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Downsizers & retirees | ★★★☆☆ | A beautiful, peaceful place to live, though premium prices, remoteness, no railway and the ~35-mile distance to Raigmore's A&E are real considerations. |
| Scenery & outdoor lovers | ★★★★★ | Loch Ness, the Great Glen, the Caledonian Canal and the Great Glen Way on the doorstep, boating, walking, cycling and wild Highland landscape at their best. |
| Tourism & remote workers | ★★★★☆ | A tourism-led economy with hotels, cruises, hospitality and outdoor businesses, plus the potential for remote/hybrid working, though much local work is seasonal and broadband varies. |
| Second-home & holiday-let buyers | ★★★★☆ | Strong Loch Ness visitor demand supports holiday letting, but note the Highland second-home/holiday-let council-tax premium, Scotland's short-term-let licensing and the effect on local supply. |
| Families | ★★★☆☆ | Kilchuimen Primary and a small academy in the village, and unrivalled outdoor space, but senior-phase pupils travel, prices are premium, there is no railway, and the major A&E is in Inverness, plan carefully. |
Fort Augustus is known locally for Loch Ness & the Great Glen, and Loch Ness & the cruises. Fort Augustus sits at the very foot of the world-famous Loch Ness, in the geological rift of the Great Glen, one of the most recognisable landscapes in Scotland.
Practical detail for Fort Augustus: the PH32 postcode district, none in the village, nearest railheads are Inverness (Highland Main Line) and Fort William (West Highland Line) and nearest A and E is Raigmore Hospital, Inverness (~35 miles), the Highlands' major A&E; Belford Hospital, Fort William (~30 miles) for some emergency care; no hospital in Fort Augustus.
Fort Augustus has history behind the price. In Pre-1715, The settlement of Kilcumein sits at the strategic foot of Loch Ness in the Great Glen.
Fort Augustus at a glance
| Downsizing line | Fort Augustus figure |
|---|---|
| Sale price, local average | £260,000 |
| Purchase at 70% of value | £182,000 |
| Estate agent at 1.5% | £3,900 |
| LBTT on purchase | £740 |
| Legal and moving | £2,700 |
| Total costs | £7,340 |
| Net released | £70,660 |
| Lifetime mortgage alternative at 65 | £88,400 |
Figures are local averages used for illustration. Confirm your own numbers before acting on them.
Ask about Fort Augustus
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 £260,000 average
- The council tax band of the property you are buying
- Total moving costs of about £7,340
- 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 Fort Augustus
Broadband speeds can vary street by street in Fort Augustus, 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 Fort Augustus?
Is downsizing better than equity release?
What are the costs of moving?
How do I check broadband speed at a property in Fort Augustus?
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