Emotion and spirituality on the other hand areusually influenced by family connections andnature - spectacular scenery and views andseasonal variations, while being in closeproximity to water can also elicit a calming andsoporific effect.

Satisfying all aspects can be challenging but theScottish Borders has locations that tick all theseboxes and as savvy buyers nowadays arecalculating a three-pronged approach betweenlocation, house prices and commuting, theopening of the new Borders Railway gives thosefor whom the commute may previously havebeen a step too far, the opportunity to come ondown to Borders region and benefit from all theadvantages and opportunities available.

Ask any property professional the most importantcriteria for buying and selling a home and thesuccinct answer will be, Location, Location,Location. Ultimately a property’s location will havethe greatest impact on its market value – while it’spossible to renovate a property or even knock itdown and build from scratch, neighbourhoodand surroundings will remain the same.

What makes an ideal location? Buyers tend to fallinto two categories: those looking to practicalmatters and those influenced by emotion andspirituality. Practicalities are largely dictated byschooling and leisure amenities for buyers withchildren, but also commuting, recreational andsports facilities, restaurants and other venues forsocialising.

Commuting is the new Location and a sure-firesolution for the majority of house buyers these dayswho are looking to have it all – a rural or semi-ruralhome and lifestyle close to good schools and otheramenities, but within easy reach of transport linksto commute to towns and cities.

Commuting can also make financial sense giventhat fuel costs have come down and house pricesaway from inner cities and suburbs tend to be lowerand offer more, often substantially more, for thesame money. In addition, many businesses offerflexible work hours to avoid travelling at peakperiods – more people also have the ability to workfrom home for all or part of the week, and thesework patterns in turn allow house buyers to look atlocations further afield.

17THE BSPC PROPERTY GUIDE • WWW.BSPC.CO.UK

COMMUTINGBy road and now rail, the Borders is open for business!

The new 30-mile railway between EdinburghWaverley and Tweedbank will have eight stops inbetween - roughly in line with the A7 – and ajourney time from start to finish of 55 minutes. Theother two new stations within Border region are atGalashiels (50 minutes to Edinburgh) and Stow(42 minutes).

As Galashiels is at the geographic centre of theScottish Borders, it means that the railway –previously only accessible to those living withinclose proximity to the rail station in Berwick uponTweed – is now central and accessible to the manyoutlying towns and villages that extend along orclose to the route.

Commuting is the new Location and a sure-fire solutionfor the majority of house buyers these days who arelooking to have it all

BSPC chairman David Kilshaw comments: “The newrailway is going to appeal not only to a wide range ofBorderers of working age looking to gain access to thewider jobs market and higher salaries available in thecity, but also to existing town dwellers who are lookingto relocate to a more rural setting within easycommuting distance.

“It has been suggested that the railway will only benefitpeople living in the towns and villages in close proximityto the route of the line. In my view, this is a rather out ofdate way of looking at commuting into work. With thecost of town centre parking having shot up in the lastdecade, driving some distance to access out of townpark and ride facilities is now simply accepted as part ofthe average working day.”

He adds: “For people who are already leaving the housebefore 7am to drive into Edinburgh across the ForthRoad bridge or via the existing motorway network, adrive of 30 minutes on quiet roads to get to the nearestfree park and ride will seem like a walk in the park, andso we can expect to see an improving house market intowns that lie ten or even twenty miles away from thenearest station.”

Being new, the train stations are modern andprovide sheltered waiting areas, step-free access,sheltered cycle storage and car parking – thelatter with the exception of Galashiels station,which is located in the centre of the town andeasily accessible via public transport.

The rail service could also result in less traffic onthe roads, arguably making it easier for those whoprefer to drive and have easy access to thoseexisting main routes through the Borders linkingto the Edinburgh city by-pass – the A68 in thecase of Melrose, Newstead, Lauder, Earlston, StBoswells and Ancrum, while the village of Stowis in a win-win situation; close to the A7 but nowwith the addition of a train station.

A traditional Victorian semi-detached townhouseof distinction, Albany House is an ideal familyhome with adaptable accommodation and a largegarden at the rear. Over three levels it has fourpublic rooms, breakfasting kitchen, ground floorbedroom with en suite and dressing room, threefurther bedrooms, second bathroom, plus a studioand attic bedroom.

• See page 36 for full details.

A style beloved by generations of families, this attractivered sandstone semi-detached villa is situated in a sought-after area of Galashiels, within easy reach of the towncentre, rail station, parks and schools. Internally it has two public rooms, cloakroom, large dining kitchen, fourbedrooms and bathroom, and benefits from a particularlysizeable rear garden with summerhouse, outbuildings,greenhouse and detached garage.

• See page 34 for full details.

Netherwood, Tweed Road, GalashielsOffers Around £245,000

Albany House,Meigle Street, Galashiels Offers Around £235,000

WHEN YOU’RE BUYING OR SELLING PROPERTY . . . IT HAS TO BE BSPC18

Some parts of the Borders have always attracted commuters from Edinburghand further afield. Peebles, located at the end of the A703/A701, is a favouritelifestyle choice owing to its scenic setting, diverse property market and greatschools and other amenities. Equally well placed are smaller nearby villages ofEddleston, Cardrona and Kirkton Manor. Similarly, improvements to the A1 onthe east coast have opened up parts of Berwickshire as a viable alternative toEast Lothian, where property often carries a premium. It remains to be seen howmuch of a premium the new railway will add to Border property prices, but therewill undoubtedly be financial gains for those properties with key strategicpositions.

Location may be everything but it is not in the one-size-fits-all category. Whatmatters is for families to determine their needs by drawing up a list, starting withthe big picture – ideal location – and working through specifics such as transportlinks, time spent commuting, school catchment areas, broadband speed, accessto shops, health services, social and leisure amenities, and proximity toneighbours, friends and family, to things like off-road parking, orientation inrelation to natural light and sun exposure, gardens, pet requirements and views.The Scottish Borders has many desirable towns and villages that combineglorious scenery, wide choice of property and excellent amenities – and with anoptional new commuter route, it’s all there for the taking!

This modern detached bungalowoccupies a sizeable plot in a cul-de-sac setting only a few minutes walkfrom the new railway terminus andsports complex. Attractively presented,it has a cloakroom, living room,conservatory, stylish fitted kitchen,utility, four bedrooms and bathroom.

The property also has a monoblocdriveway to the integral garage at thefront and a very large rear garden.

• See page 38 for full details.

10 Tweedbank View,Galashiels

Guide Price £220,000

An end terraced house situated in

a quiet cul-de-sac with open views

to the rear. With a well-presented

interior, the two-storey

accommodation includes hall,

living/dining room with patio doors

to the low maintenance back

garden, attractively fitted kitchen,

three bedrooms and bathroom.

There is also a carport to one side

for off-road parking.

• See page 48 for full details.

26 Rosebank Place,

Galashiels, TD1 1HG

Guide Price £135,000

Priced £10,000 below Home Reportvalue, this spacious two bedroomedflat would be a dream starter home,particularly as it has an immaculatecontemporary interior finish andquality fittings. The layout comprisesspacious open-plan living/dining/fittedkitchen area, two box rooms (idealstudy and utility), two bedrooms – onedouble, one single – and beautifulshower room. It also benefits fromhaving a shared patio garden andouthouse.

• See page 59 for full details.

4 Balmoral Place, Galashiels, TD1 1JEFixed Price £80,000

Extensively modernised and extended

making it far larger than it appears,

The Hollies is in a spectacularly

beautiful rural location with open views

and landscaped gardens that include a

decked terrace, summerhouse, patio

areas and barbecue. Inside, the

accommodation comprises living

room, large conservatory, fitted

breakfasting kitchen, two bath/shower

rooms, three bedrooms and a large

attic room/studio.

• See page 35 for full details.

The Hollies, 4 MichelstonFarm Cottages, StowGuide Price £245,000

19THE BSPC PROPERTY GUIDE • WWW.BSPC.CO.UK

A small selection of BSPC commuter

-friendly properties in Border towns

with stations on the Waverley line

28th-29th August Stowed Out Festival, Stow

3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th & 7th September Galashiels Market, Galashiels

5th SeptemberStow Annual Flower Show, Stow Town Hall

Carnival Themed Community Event,Quoiting Green, Stow, 3-6pm

6th SeptemberService of Dedication, Galashiels

9th September - The Official Opening

Her Majesty the Queen will officially openthe Borders Railway. The centrepiece of theopening festival will be a Royal opening on the9th, where the Queen will be joined by FirstMinister Nicola Sturgeon to take an historicsteam journey along the route with celebrationsat either end.

6th-12th SeptemberScottish Borders Walking Festival(Galashiels & surrounding area)

11th- 13th September100 Bands on the Border, Galashiels

12th September - Doors Open DayVarious venues throughout The ScottishBorders and Midlothian.

The opening of the Borders Railway will becelebrated across Edinburgh, Midlothian and theScottish Borders, with events taking place acrosscommunities along the line.

Many of these events will be open to everyone tocome along and join in the fun. However, please beaware that access to the stations on the 5th ofSeptember will be strictly limited to those luckyenough to be Golden Ticket holders.

Listed are just some of the events that are takingplace around the date of the opening of the railway.We hope that these whet your appetite to come andexplore this beautiful part of Scotland by rail.

Ahead of the launch activity, you can also getinvolved in the #MyBordersRailway campaign whichis running via social media on the @BordersRailwayaccount. Simply tell us how you will use the railwayand post alongside the hashtag. More informationabout how you can get involved and additionalevents information for the Lothians area can befound online at: www.bordersrailway.co.uk

Occupying a preferred cul-de-sac setting andbenefitting from a child-friendly fully enclosed reargarden, this attractive semi-detached house hasbeen considerably upgraded and is in pristinecondition throughout. The accommodationcomprises hall, living room, breakfasting kitchen,utility, conservatory, two bedrooms and stylishbathroom.

• See page 48 for full details.

35 Abbotslea, TweedbankGuide Price £140,000

Situated on the edge of Tweedbank villagemidway between Galashiels and Melrose, thismodern semi-detached home will appeal to familybuyers. The layout features a living room withstaircase to the upper floor, dining room,conservatory, fitted kitchen, three bedrooms andbathroom, plus gardens and garage.

• See page 45 for full details.

5 Riverside Drive, TweedbankGuide Price £157,500

The new railway is going to appeal not only to a wide range of Borderers looking to gainaccess to the wider jobs market available in the city, but also to existing town dwellerswho are looking to relocate to a more rural setting within easy commuting distance.

WHEN YOU’RE BUYING OR SELLING PROPERTY . . . IT HAS TO BE BSPC20

Open outlooks and lovely views enhance this one-offdetached chalet-style villa, which is in immaculatecondition throughout. The flexible accommodationincludes a hall and cloakroom, lounge with wood-burning stove, sitting room, study, dining kitchen,utility, master bedroom with en suite and doors to acovered balcony, two further bedrooms and showerroom. Easily kept gardens surround the property andinclude a timber deck, plus garage and driveway.

• See page 36 for full details.

140 Galashiels Road, StowGuide Price £240,000

A small selection of BSPC commuter -friendly properties

in Border towns with stations on the Waverley line

CELEBRATION EVENTS