The best fixer-upper homes in the British countryside: Experts pick the properties on sale now – for as little as £35k – that could make your escape to the country dreams come true

Glancing at current rural property prices can be disheartening. Where once you used to get a lot of bang for your buck – or bricks-and-mortar for your pounds – nowadays a mountain of money doesn’t always seem to get you far.

The good news is that, even in today’s heady property market, there are still plenty of potentially exquisite properties out there going for a song – though most are in need a little TLC.

But beware: taking on a renovation project can be beset with unknowns and the possibility of going seriously over budget, so make sure you get expert advice at all points along the way.

And don’t assume the asking price (or guide price if the property is being sold by auction) will be accurate.

For example, this week a three-bed terraced house in Holyhead, Gwynedd, North Wales had a guide price of £10,000 – but sold at auction on 31 July for £52,000.

Here’s our pick of some of the most tempting rural properties on the market.

Unst, Shetland Islands, Scotland – £60,000

Buying on an island can be a good way to secure a bargain property as access may be more complicated than living on the mainland, which is reflected in the asking price. Gorgeous Da Laggans, a traditional detached cottage at Baltasound on the island of Unst, undoubtedly fulfills the getting-away-from-it-all rural dream of many. 

Overlooking the Loch of Cliff, the two-bed hideaway with a living room, kitchen – and extension in need of a roof – needs some TLC. Reaching it involves two ferries taking around two hours after a flight or overnight ferry from the mainland to Lerwick.

Buy it: Offers over £60,000 with Bell Ingram (bellingram.co.uk)

Millom, Cumbria – £250,000

Imagine living in a large, characterful farmhouse in the middle of the Lake District National Park? Skellerah Farm, in the village of Corney, boasts four bedrooms, three reception rooms, a dining room/kitchen, attic room and huge adjoining barn. 

You’ll need green fingers as well as top DIY skills as the large grounds are overgrown – but the price does include fishing rights in the River Annas, streams, a pond and an orchard.

Buy it: Auction guide price £250,000-£300,000 with Auction House (auctionhouse.co.uk)

Gairloch, Wester Ross, Scotland – £40,000

This two-bed refurbishment project in the North West Highlands enjoys a scenic location minutes from the shores of Loch Gairloch in Wester Ross, with partial views to Strath Bay. Gairloch is a charming village with a museum, shops and restaurants. It’s an ideal base for hiking, fishing, and exploring sandy beaches.

Buy it: Auction guide price £40,000 with Auction House Scotland (auctionhouse.co.uk)

Kilburn, Belper, Derbyshire – £77,000

Although requiring modernisation and refurbishment, two-bed semi-detached Brook Cottage has lots of character and is located in an elevated corner position with magnificent countryside views. 

As well as a lounge and breakfast kitchen, outside there is gated access leading to a large sun terrace area, ideal for entertaining. Belper and Derby are nearby, while the A38 road provides swift access onto the M1 motorway.

Buy it: Auction guide price £77,000 with SDL Auctions (sdlauctions.co.uk)

North Tamerton, Holsworthy, Cornwall – £100,000

With church attendance dropping steadily, chapels and churches that have closed are a good source of cheap properties to do up, although you require planning permission for conversion to a residential home. 

This rurally situated detached former chapel has had permission granted for conversion into a three-bedroom property. It currently has a light, spacious nave with tall ceilings and several arched windows, a meeting room and office.

Buy it: Auction guide price £100,000-£120,000 with Auction House (auctionhouse.co.uk)

Littlebeck, Whitby, North Yorkshire – £185,000

This large, detached, five-bed sandstone farmhouse with gardens and paddocks is located in an idyllic rural location on the North York Moors. 

Requiring full modernisation, it has three reception rooms, garages and a workshop. The village of Pickering offers local amenities, Whitby is six miles away and Robin Hood’s Bay is nearby, too.

Buy it: Auction guide price £185,000 with SDL Property Auctions (sdlauctions.co.uk)

Little Oakley, Harwich, Essex – £90,000

This charming, terraced, one-bedroom, Grade II-listed cottage in the village of Little Oakley could do with some sprucing up. It’s near Harwich, an attractive, historic town with numerous restaurants and pubs, and steeped in a wealth of maritime history. There are excellent road, rail and ferry links.

Buy it: £90,000 with William H Brown (williamhbrown.co.uk)

Eastbury, Hungerford, Berkshire – £350,000

This 16th century detached cottage in the normally pricey home counties requires modernisation throughout and would make an ideal family home. 

With three double bedrooms, a living room, dining room, ample driveway parking and a large outbuilding, you get a lot of space for the price. The attractive village of Eastbury is in the heart of the Lambourn Valley and boasts countryside walks and prolific wildlife aplenty.

Buy it: Auction guide price £350,000 with Auction House (auctionhouse.co.uk)

Fakenham, Norfolk – £150,000

Not requiring much attention, this three-bedroom house in the village of North Creake, about three miles from Burnham Market, has splendid, far-reaching countryside views and a good-sized garden. It would make a great base for exploring this attractive corner of Norfolk.

Buy it: Auction guide price £150,000 with Auction House (auctionhouse.co.uk)

Tylorstown, Ferndale, Wales – £30,000

Nestled in the Rhondda Valley, with countryside all around, properties in the ex-mining village of Tylorstown are often considerably lower than national averages. This one-bedroom home with an open-plan kitchen/living room/diner requires some work, though not a huge amount.

Buy it: Auction guide price £30,000 with Re/Max Barry (remax.co.uk)

Ty Coch, Rhymney, Wales – £75,000

With Bannau Brycheiniog National Park almost on the doorstep, this two-bedroom, semi-detached house would be a great base for a keen hiker. 

With a lounge and dining room and gardens at the front and rear, the property is relatively spacious, and while it needs updating, it would not be an onerous renovation project.

Buy it: £75,000 with Darlows (darlows.co.uk)

Lewis, Outer Hebrides, Scotland – £95,000

Enjoy sea views from the front and a vista across the moors at the back of this detached one-bedroom property in the village of Ballantrushal. 

Heated by electric storage heaters and double-glazed throughout, it has a lounge, dining kitchen, porch and upstairs open-plan living area with storage room in addition to the bedroom. It requires a bit of work to make it a pleasant rural retreat.

Buy it: Offers over £95,000 with Hebridean Estate Agency (hebridean-estate-agency.co.uk)

Aberdare, Wales – £79,995

In the highly sought-after village of Llwydcoed, this terraced two-bedroom cottage has numerous country walks nearby. 

It certainly needs considerable renovation, including the installation of a bathroom and kitchen, but the owner will end up with a characterful property in a desirable location. It comes with off-road parking and a rear garden.

Buy it: £79,995 with Manning Estate Agents (manningestateagents.co.uk)

Wirksworth, Matlock, Derbyshire – £100,000

In the heart of popular market town of Wirksworth in the Derbyshire Dales, this cottage has two bedrooms, a dining kitchen, sitting room, mature garden and courtyard with a brick outbuilding. It requires modernisation but has a wealth of character and original features.

Buy it: Auction guide price £100,000 with SDL Auctions (sdlauctions.co.uk)

Coombe, St. Austell, Cornwall – £130,000

Not much refurbishment is required at this two-bedroom, semi-detached house with good-sized front and rear gardens located in the highly sought after hamlet of Coombe, between St Austell and Truro. 

It’s surrounded by open countryside, a wooded valley and play park, and is subject to a local authority restriction: the purchaser will need to have either lived or worked in Cornwall for the last three years.

Buy it: Auction guide price £130,000 with Sutton Kersh (suttonkersh.co.uk)

Liskeard, Cornwall – £160,000

With a tranquil, rural position, this two-bedroom, semi-detached cottage on the outskirts of Upton Cross is in need of some modernisation, but more to update the decor rather than any drastic restoration. It boasts a multi-level mature garden with areas of lawn and a wide variety of mature plants.

Buy it: Auction guide price £160,000 with Auction House (auctionhouse.co.uk)

Swadlincote, Derbyshire – £230,000

This four-bedroom, detached house stands on a large, mature plot with a wooded backdrop to the rear and some far-reaching views. 

The property requires some modernisation but offers scope to be transformed into a wonderful family home. It’s in a quiet location but well placed for local amenities, transport links and with plenty of walks close by in the National Forest.

Buy it: Auction guide price £230,000 with SDL Auctions (sdlauctions.co.uk)

St Just, Cornwall – £150,000

There are beautiful coastal walks to enjoy near this character-filled, two-bed cottage with much potential. 

Just a short walk from the town centre, it’s tucked away at the end of a hidden terrace. Attractive features include a granite open fireplace, exposed beams and exposed (but painted) granite walls.

Buy it: £150,000 with Andrew Exelby Estate Agents (andrewexelby.co.uk)

Berriedale, Highland, Scotland – £95,000

Though much of two-bed Rhian Cottage is in good nick, some renovation is required. Set in an idyllic rural location near the village of Dunbeath, it has a spacious garden.

Buy it: Offers over £95,000 with K Allen Properties (kallanproperties.co.uk)