What it is: A tiny, slate-roofed stone building, which is being sold with planning permission for conversion into a two-bedroom home, on about one-third of an acre of land. The bothy is about 15 miles from Aberdeen in a picturesque area, but it is within easy commuting distance of the oil capital and is accessible from a road. The village of Echt is two-and-a-half miles away. There is a private water supply, but the new owner will need to install a septic tank. The property is connected to mains electricity.

The disadvantages: The bothy is only a tiny starting point from which to build a larger house. There are other buildings close by; the main house and its steading are only a few meters away. The north-eastern market is also a hard one to buy into at the moment. Elsewhere in Scotland buyers have considerable scope for negotiating prices downwards, but a buoyant market in this region leaves little scope for anything other than bidding over the asking price. The indications are that the housing market in this area will continue to out-perform the rest of Scotland for some time.

The advantages: It is a charming little building that gives every impression of being both wind and watertight. Perhaps before starting work on a conversion, one might camp in the existing bothy for a few weeks to get the lie of the land — a privilege granted to few self-builders. Stones of the size and quality used in the bothy would be ruinously expensive today. Having them in a pre-existing structure provides an easy way to fashion a home that shows off some spectacular materials.

This part of the county, with its rolling countryside, distinguished villages and towns, and relatively empty roads, has much to recommend it — particularly for those who want to escape the hustle and bustle of urban life.

Of course, for some, this might also be just the place to hunker down and wait for the gales that are blowing though our economy to pass over. Self-sufficiency might not be possible on such a small patch of land, but you might be able to grow enough oats to keep yourself in porridge.

Strutt and Parker, 01330 826 800

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