Living in Scottish commuter towns can shave thousands of pounds off home purchases but not in the Aberdeen area, according to new research by Bank of Scotland (BoS).
The study examined house prices from towns within an hour’s commute of Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow.
Average house prices were measured against average earnings, both locally and in relation to the nearest city.
Motherwell, Greenock and Arbroath were found to be the most affordable places to commute from,
But many workers travelling to and from Aberdeen are paying more for property outside the city, the bank said.
According to the research report, the average house price in Europe’s energy capital is £210,522, meaning workers with an average 15-minute commute are paying 28% more for property.
BoS cites Stonehaven within this category, which is presumably on a good day traffic-wise.
Moving further from Aberdeen doesn’t produce much of an advantage, with a half-hour commute costing 11% more in property at an average house price of £234,143, the bank said.
The figures suggest you have to travel up to an hour each way to benefit from cheaper prices, with BoS putting Insch, Keith, Huntly and even Arbroath and Carnoustie within this category at an average price of £155,777.
It said Arbroath was the most affordable location for Aberdeen commuters, with an average house price of £127,497 – or 3.4 times the typical Granite City salary of £37,100.
Keith was in second place, with an average house price of £135,277 and a 3.6 times earnings ratio.
With the average Edinburgh house costing £225,133, workers moving further away from the capital but within an hour’s commute can expect to pay up to one-third less for property, BoS said.
The bank said the average house price in Glasgow was £161,623, meaning “savvy” commuters living up to an hour away in locations including Perth, Dumfries and Bathgate were saving as much as £44,880, or 28%.
BoS mortgage director Graham Blair said: “The length of the commute to work is a key factor when deciding where to set up home.
“Scotland has some great commuter towns, where considerable savings on property can be made.
“However, the decision to commute is not one that should be made just on the finances.
“We know from our How Scotland Lives research (a separate study of people’s attitudes to commuting) that those who don’t have to travel long distances to work are often happier.”
He added: “There are many things to take into account when looking for a new home, not just the journey time to work.
“Quality of schools, sense of space and sense of community are also important to many house hunters across Scotland.”
