Median price at May 2004: Renfrewshire: £74,000; East Renfrewshire: £150,000
General increase since September 2003: Renfrewshire: 23%; East Renfrewshire: 40%
Projected increase to September 2005: 10-15%
Market view: As the west’s most mature commuter county Renfrewshire has enjoyed unprecedented growth since the turn of the decade. Comprising hot spots such as Houston, Newton Mearns and Kilmacolm it also contains some of Scotland’s most exclusive housing. Like East Lothian, the key to Renfrewshire’s appeal lies with a combination of easy commuting, great schools and top-class golf, sailing and leisure facilities.
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With its high concentration of solid family housing Newton Mearns is often described as the southside’s equivalent of the equally upmarket Bearsden and with the adjacent suburbs of Giffnock, Newlands and Whitecraigs enjoying similarly unprecedented growth figures, Newton Mearns represents the nucleus of a rash of southside hot spots — despite being in Renfrewshire.
Although properties range from upmarket flats priced around £100,000 to grand villas beyond £750,000 the most hotly contested sector is for detached family homes of between three to five bedrooms. On average you will get a three-bed home for about £180,000. A similar property in the highly prized Gryffe High school catchment in Houston will fetch about £225,000.
Kilmacolm, with steady single-figure growth, continues to demonstrate its status as one of Scotland’s hottest locations for top-end property.
Of most interest to property insiders since the millennium has been the emergence of a number of spectacular, previously dormant local markets. According to HBOS Renfrew (41% growth since 2003), Johnstone (72% growth since 1999), Paisley and Erskine (both 50% growth since 1999) are Renfrewshire’s most impressive recent performers. Our experts remain confident that all these locations can return minimum growth figures of 10% in the coming year.
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East Renfrewshire
Second-hand 1-bed apartment (Neilston)
September 2003: £88,000
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September 2004: £100,000
September 2005: £106,000
New 2-bed apartment (Barrhead)
September 2003: £110,000
September 2004: £148,000
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September 2005: £158,000
Second-hand 2-bed apartment (Newton Mearns)
September 2003: £111,000
September 2004: £144,000
September 2005: £151,000
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Ex-council 3-bed (Clarkston)
September 2003: £121,000
September 2004: £139,000
September 2005: £156,000
Second-hand 3-bed semi (Eaglesham)
September 2003: £130,000
September 2004: £159,000
September 2005: £170,000
Second-hand 4-bed semi (Neilston)
September 2003: £145,000
September 2004: £168,000
September 2005: £182,000
Traditional country house on 10 acres
September 2003: £550,000
September 2004: £600,000
September 2005: £625,000
Contemporary country house
September 2003: £450,000
September 2004: £500,000
September 2005: £525,000
5-bed manse (Kilmacolm)
September 2003: £650,000
September 2004: £700,000
September 2005: £750,000
(Source: GSPC)
West Renfrewshire
New 2-bed apartment (Erskine)
September 2003: £98,000
September 2004: £115,000
September 2005: £127,000
Second-hand 2-bed apartment (Erskine)
September 2003: £80,000
September 2004: £95,000
Second-hand 2-bed apartment (Johnstone)
September 2003: £44,000
September 2004: £55,000
September 2005: £61,000
New 2-bed apartment (Renfrew)
September 2003: £56,000
September 2004: £70,000
September 2005: £77,000
Second-hand 3-bed semi (Renfrew)
September 2003: £76,000
September 2004: £95,000
September 2005: £105,000
Second-hand 3-bed semi (Houston)
September 2003: £96,000
September 2004: £120,000
September 2005: £132,00
Second-hand two-up-two-down (Paisley)
September 2003: £45,000
September 2004: £60,000
September 2005: £66,000
Second-hand 3-bed semi (Paisley)
September 2003: £110,000
September 2004: £135,000
September 2005: £150,000
Inverclyde
Second-hand 2-bed apartment in good condition (Greenock)
September 2003: £63,000
September 2004: £85,000
September 2005: £102,000
Second-hand 3-bed semi (Greenock)
September 2003: £100,000
September 2004: £125,000
September 2005: £150,000
Ex-council 3-bed (Greenock)
September 2003: £63,000
September 2004: £85,000
September 2005: £107,000
Detached bungalow (Gourock)
September 2003: £176,000
September 2004: £220,000
September 2005: £264,000
Tenement flat (Port Glasgow)
September 2003: £74,000
September 2004: £95,000
September 2005: £115,000
2-bed cottage (Inverkip)
September 2003: £144,000
September 2004: £180,000
September 2005: £216,000
(Source: FPDSavills, 1 Move, J&E Shepherd, ISPC, Slater Hogg, Erskine estate agents, GSPC)