Many thanks to you all for all your replies and advice and your own stories: it does help with giving a wider perspective and inspires too.
Andrea thanks for telling me your school experiences! I guess your boys benefit from being integrated in Portugese local society, depsite the commute and being away for so long during the week. I have homeschooled and can confirm it can be isolating even in your own country and being part of a network. I wouldn't do it abroad either for the reasons you give, but would worry about that journey (character forming to say the least!).
Clydesdalehopper thanks so much for your comments - believe it or not my daughter and I lived for 2 years at the Findhorn community in Moray and I homeschool too (though want to stop soon!) - I did some things with Noshed, perhaps we even met!
And Clydesdalehopper thank you for those property sites.
And Andy thanks for explaining why the Aberdeenshire prices fluctuate - I thought I'd missed the boat for Aberdeenshire but will keep watching.
Finally Marigold thanks for your comments. As I said I wasn't planning setting up a big or even medium small holding "business"; just looking to feed my family clean food, keep some livestock and enjoy the lifestyle that goes with it. Money for converting outbuildings would probably come from initial holiday/summer lets on the house, if I went down that road, though I would do a lot of the work myself or with friends. I've wwoofed on lots of crofts and small holdings and seen/worked on the same thing. Family tax credit supports families on low incomes in the UK, and there are grants to start up small businesses. I don't think a semi with a large garden would ever be for me and is not the kind of lifestyle I would want for my daughter either which is why I posted my query in the first place!
WandaBlue
Joined: 03 Feb 2011 Posts: 40 Location: Sanday, Orkney
Posted: Wed Aug 17, 11 2:30 pm Post subject:
I've just bought over 6 acres on Sanday but haven't moved up yet (house/tractor shed needs scrubbing ). Visited last week and it was beautiful on the island, the people I spoke to were helpful and friendly. Luckily I don't have kids so this is not an issue for me. The links to the Mainland are excellent and it's only an hour and a half to Kirkwall on the car ferry. I can't wait to make the final leap. Alice, which island are you on? Local knowledge is a wonderful thing.
Joined: 03 Feb 2011 Posts: 40 Location: Sanday, Orkney
Posted: Wed Aug 17, 11 7:15 pm Post subject:
Thank you Alice for your messages and thank you Gil for your good wishes. I suspect I may be asking many dumb questions here in the not too distant future.
Cath123 I hope you find something suitable soon. I found mine on the Greenshifters site (it was also listed on Tepilo). Well worth a look.
Congratulations WandaBlue and best of luck and thank you for your good wishes. Sanday does look lovely and I have heard happy reports, and lucky you not having to think about schools, etc.,! I did used to look at Greenshifters, thanks for reminding me - I don't know Tepilo so thanks for telling me about it.
Posted: Sat Sep 10, 11 1:54 pm Post subject: Got a great place!!!
Just to say thanks so much to all of you for your comments and advice, it was so heartening - and Biggest thanks to the Orkney resident who sent me the link to Low's Property, Orkney - my modest offer on a stone house with 5.1 acres, outbuildings and greenhouses on South Ronaldsay has been accepted!
What a great website/forum, I am sure I too will be asking questions in the future here, all the best to you all!
Andrea
Joined: 02 May 2005 Posts: 2260 Location: Portugal
Posted: Sat Sep 10, 11 5:10 pm Post subject:
Many congratulations Cath, and best wishes for your new life in Orkney!
Just to say thanks so much to all of you for your comments and advice, it was so heartening - and Biggest thanks to the Orkney resident who sent me the link to Low's Property, Orkney - my modest offer on a stone house with 5.1 acres, outbuildings and greenhouses on South Ronaldsay has been accepted!
What a great website/forum, I am sure I too will be asking questions in the future here, all the best to you all!
Lucky you ! That was the one I saw and rather liked. The very best of luck for your move and future life up there.
Ooh, how exciting!
South Ronaldsay is where I would choose if I had to live on the Mainland.
Good luck with the move.
One word of advice. Hire professionals to move your stuff - even if you have to sell a kidney to pay for it.
I wish I had
). Visited last week and it was beautiful on the island, the people I spoke to were helpful and friendly. Luckily I don't have kids so this is not an issue for me. The links to the Mainland are excellent and it's only an hour and a half to Kirkwall on the car ferry. I can't wait to make the final leap. Alice, which island are you on? Local knowledge is a wonderful thing.
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