UK ‘jewel’ with £84,325 house price named cheapest for first-time buyers

Looking at buying your first home and don’t want to break the bank? One UK ‘jewel’ has been named the cheapest for first-time buyers – and prices average out at £84,325.

Just south of Glasgow is Kilmarnock in Ayrshire. It might seem like a relatively sleepy place – compared to a city as busy as Glasgow, that is – but there’s plenty to suit first-time buyers here, including the price tag.

According to Rightmove, Kilmarnock marks the cheapest area across the UK for first-time buyers specifically to invest in, with property prices that are significantly below the UK average, which is now £267,200, according to Zoopla.

Elsewhere, Greenock in Inverclyde ranked in second place, where the typical price for a first-time buyer comes in at £88,862, while Grimsby came third at £93,427.

What locals say about Kilmarnock

After spending six ‘fruitless months’ house-hunting in Glasgow, @Bettylurker decided to move to Kilmarnock. And so far, she’s ‘really enjoyed’ it.

‘[I] feel it’s as safe as where we came from (Cathcart on the south side of Glasgow). Now we have a lovely house and garden for a fraction of what similar properties were going for in Glasgow,’ she wrote in the r/Kilmarnock Reddit thread.

For @linzid83, it was fundamental to point about that their beloved ‘Killie’ might get a ‘bad rep’ – but in their experience, there are now ‘plenty of new estates with young families and professionals.

‘The main street where shops etc were doesn’t have that much now, but you’re only 30 mins from Silverburn/Braehead/Glasgow city centre. There’s good bus links and train service too,’ they added.

Likewise, @chrisscottish has lived in Kilmarnock for 13 years – and says it’s ‘no better or worse’ than anywhere else.

‘We bought a couple of different houses here always in “nice” bits and never had a spot of bother. We moved last year and sold a house which if it was in Glasgow’s west end would have been a million quid,’ they penned.

‘Would I want my kids to buy a house there, sure….it’s affordable and gives them a step on the ladder.’

Things to do in Kilmarnock

Ready to make the move? Kilmarnock is steeped in history – and is actually home to the largest monument of poet Robert Burns in the whole of Scotland.

First opened in 1879, the Burns Monument Centre is now a listed building, serving the local community in hosting educational and cultural events, conferences and even weddings.

If you want to learn even more about the locality, the Local History Service can also be found here, and houses newspapers, maps and books.

Likewise, The Dick Institute has everything inside it from science to archaeology, as well as classic favourites for the little ones including Brian the lion, Samantha the dinosaur, and even a 400-million-year-old scorpion fossil.

There’s also a tearoom offering home-baked goods and barista-level coffee, if you need an afternoon pit stop while you’re there.

If you’re in search of something stronger, Kilmarnock is home to plenty of watering holes, including The Standing Man, The Carrick, and The Thack Inn.

There’s also green space (and vast swathes of ducks and water fountains) to be found at Kay Park, while Dean Castle Country Park was described by VisitScotland as the ‘jewel in Kilmarnock’s crown.’

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