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Good news if you’ve ever longed to own an island

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July 18, 2017
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A once in a lifetime opportunity has come up to own an island – for less than the price of the UK’s average home.

Little Ross Island is 29 acres – rather more at low tide – in the estuary to the south of Kirkcudbright,  Dumfries and Galloway, in the south west of Scotland.

Offering outstanding views of open sea, coastline, countryside, the Isle of Man and the Lake District, the asking price is £325,000 and that includes a six bedroom, B-listed cottage and courtyard, a natural harbour and pebble beach.

It also comes with three B-listed, “ruinous” barns and is completely off-grid with power drawn from solar panels and a small wind turbine.

Own an island

Own an island – and get a new home too

The wildlife on your doorstep is stunning too, which all makes it a bit of a snip as the average price of a home in the UK is currently £314,000. For just a few grand more you can own an island and get a new home too!

Little Ross has much history having a working lighthouse tower – not included in the sale – designed and built by Alan Stevenson and first lit on January 1 1843.

It was the first light of catadioptric type, having metallic mirrors above and below the lenses.

The light was hailed by William Thomson (later Lord Kelvin) as being one of the “three best revolving lights in the world”.

A lease, signed in 1841, permits the lighthouse to operate from the Island, in perpetuity.

Own an island

Island’s lighthouse hit national newspaper headlines

The lighthouse does have a chequered past however. In 1960 it made national newspaper headlines when an interim lighthouse keeper was murdered there by a colleague.

Since full automation in the late 1960’s the lighthouse no longer requires staffing.

Marketed by the Galbraith Group, sale notes advise: “This is a rare opportunity to purchase a unique property in a beautiful and scenic part of Scotland which offers an alternative lifestyle as a retreat or holiday home.

“The purchasers should be in no doubt that they should be proficient seaman and will require their own boat (or helicopter) to get to and from the island.”

Own an island

Own an island with “fantastic development potential”

David Corrie, senior associate at Galbraith, said Little Ross offered “fantastic development potential”.

“With a bit of TLC, the properties on the island could be turned into something truly stunning.

“Private islands rarely come up for sale at an affordable price and particularly one with a habitable house and additional properties.

“Given the exciting prospect Little Ross Island presents, we expect a lot of interest from all over the UK as well as abroad.”

Own an island

Happy to provide “out of the ordinary” buildings and contents cover

Whether you are buying to renovate, rent, reside or offer short-let holiday accommodation,  Adrian Flux is one of the UK’s leading specialist home insurance brokers.

They can even insure your property while household works and major renovations are being carried out.

Adrian Flux will compare more than 30 insurers to find the high quality, competitively priced buildings and contents insurance cover you require for your new island home, or any other home you own  – especially if it is slightly out of the ordinary.

The company has also launched a new range of island insurance policies which reflect the low-risk nature of island life, with some of the lowest premiums on the market.

And, if you are buying the Little Ross Island, a 4×4 will come in handy as there are tracks but no adopted roads, in which case those clever people at Adrian Flux can provide your off road motor insurance too.

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