Growing vegetables, collecting fresh eggs and maybe even tending to a few sheep or pigs – it’s the rural idyll that many dream of.
Smallholdings, often a cottage with a small patch of land, are becoming increasingly popular among city dwellers wishing to leave behind busy urban living for something more akin to ‘The Good Life’.
Estate agents across the country are noticing an uptick in inquiries, especially in recent months from people who were dreaming of a new life during the pandemic but didn’t quite make the move.
‘They want to swap the fast pace of life for the countryside where they can become a bit greener and grow their own and often have some animals,’ says Jonathan Morgan, from Carmarthen-based property company BJP Residential.
Some smallholdings are even being snapped up before they go on the market.
‘A lot of this recent [economic] unrest is making people in urban areas think, “is the time right for the lifestyle change, to a more rural area?”,’ says David Davis, surveyor and negotiator from Evans Bros auctioneers.
‘I have a smallholding that isn’t even on the market yet but I know it will be popular. The couple have been there since 2011 and it’s that classic “Margo and Jerry” property.
‘They’ve got a polytunnel, raised beds, poultry runs, they’ve kept pigs and have planted an orchard – it’s that self-sufficient dream that many are looking for.
‘And that type of property is probably going to be sold before it even comes to the market.’
For first-timers, experts recommend trying a smaller patch of land first and speaking to local smallholding communities for advice.
Hayley Grota, sales negotiator at JJ Morris in Pembrokeshire, says: ‘There’s always a demand for land – but not for big parcels. The average person would want between one to ten acres maximum, something a bit more manageable’.
Competition for smallholdings is fierce, so we’ve spoken to property experts and estate agents to bring you the 18 best properties currently on the market, for as little as £150,000.
1. Rhyd-Rosser, Llanrhystud, Wales, £150,000
This property is just nine miles from the picturesque harbour town of Aberaeron
The stone and slate property may be in need of renovation but does feature a separate chalet building, pictured below
If the idea of lots of land is daunting, this historic stone cottage in the Welsh coastal village of LLanrhystud, Ceredigion is the perfect first step.
On the market for just £150,000, the stone and slate property may be in need of renovation but comes with three-quarters of an acre of land and a separate chalet building with water and electric.
Llanrhystud has a good primary school, petrol station, mini supermarket, post office, village shop, florist, pub and even a beach and is just nine miles from the picturesque harbour town of Aberaeron.
Buy It: For sale with Morgan Davies
2. Pen Y Bryn, Cwmllynfell, Swansea, £150,000
This property is set in between the village of Cwmllynfell and the hamlet of Pen-Rhiw-Fawr
One for a budding developer, this stone barn was once a water mill but could be converted into a residential property, subject to planning.
It contains original features including the water wheel and sits on a small plot – approximately 0.67 acres – with a stream passing through it.
The property is set in between the village of Cwmllynfell and the hamlet of Pen-Rhiw-Fawr, with views overlooking the Brecon Beacons.
Buy it: For sale with McCartneys
3. Valhalla, Mosshill, Sutherland, Scotland, £165,000
This two-bedroomed cottage in the tranquil Highland coastal village of Brora comes with 1.2 acres of croft land, pictured below
This two-bedroomed cottage in the tranquil Highland coastal village of Brora comes with 1.2 acres of croft land which includes two natural ponds.
In Scotland, crofting is a system of landholding that stipulates in legislation that the owner tends to the land and does not live more than 32km from their croft.
For cosy winter nights, there is a traditional open fire in the living room (alongside the electric storage heating system in the house), as well as two large wooden sheds with one used as a studio and the other as a log store.
Buy it: For sale with Monster Moves
4. Pontrhydfendigaid, Ystrad Meurig, Wales, £250,000
This four-bedroom house is set in five acres of land with a separate traditional stone cottage
The property in the heart of the Cambrian Mountains is perfect for redevelopment
This much-loved former farmhouse was bought by the last owner in 1967 from the Forestry Commission and lived in until the owner passed away this year aged 99 – a testament to the idyllic nature of this smallholding’s rural location.
In the heart of the Cambrian Mountains, just two miles from the village of Pontrhydfendigaid and the historic ruins at Strata Florida, the four-bedroom house is set in five acres of land with a separate traditional stone cottage, perfect for redevelopment.
David Davis, surveyor and valuer at Evans Brothers says: ‘This remote smallholding is a classic. Somebody asked if the water had been tested, but the owner lived there for 57 years and died at 99 so what better test do you need!
‘It’s the lifestyle purchaser that we have a lot of. What I tell people is, it’s not that you’re selling the property, you’re selling the dream.’
Buy it: For sale via auction with Evans Bros
5. Woolsery, Devon, £250,000
This south-facing plot, surrounded by fields and woodland, is accessed via a private gateway over a small stream, with a 50-metre track leading to the barn, seen below
For budding ‘Grand Designers’, this barn deep in the Devon countryside has planning permission for a three-bedroom conversion.
The south-facing plot, surrounded by fields and woodland, is accessed via a private gateway over a small stream, with a 50m track leading to the barn.
The land around it comes to 2.5 acres and presents a great opportunity to build a dream smallholding. But if a bigger plot is tempting, there is a further 30 acres available to buy separately, subject to negotiations.
The barn is two miles from the charming village of Woolsery which has a village shop, church and primary school.
It is also home to the Farmers Arms, an award-winning pub, run by two Silicon Valley tech entrepreneurs, who also own 150 acres of local farmland to supply the pub with produce.
Buy it here: For sale with Kivells
6. Glyn Road, Lower Brynamman, Wales, £325,000
This property benefits from a third of an acre of land – the perfect size for a first-timer
In addition to the land, the home has a spacious kitchen, below, and three bedrooms
The charming, detached house has a spacious kitchen and three bedrooms.
But the real beauty is that it benefits from a third of an acre of land – the perfect size for a first-timer.
Located on the edge of a small estate, the new owners can walk straight out of their backdoor and into Ynysdawela Nature Park, perfect for dog walks down by the river Amman and picnics in the summer months.
Buy it: For sale with Anna Ashton
7. Minepitts Lane, Symonds Yat West, Herefordshire, £350,000
There is planning permission granted for a three-bedroomed property on this site
The plot has a bothy, includes 0.8 acres of land and is surrounded by woodland
Seeking life off grid? This plot, in the heart of the stunning Wye Valley, currently has an insulated garage which is being used as a bothy, complete with compostable toilet.
For a more permanent living solution, there is planning permission granted for a three-bedroomed property on the site, which includes 0.8 acres of land and is surrounded by woodland.
The rural setting is close to the village of Whitchurch, which has a well-rated primary school, village shop and tearoom.
Nearby Symonds Yat, just two miles from the Welsh border, has three pubs which line the banks of the River Wye, and many popular walking and mountain biking routes, as well as a canoe hire centre.
Buy it: For sale with Hamilton Stiller
8. Neuadd Road, Ammanford, Wales, £395,000
This three-bedroom farmhouse has a sizeable three-acre plot
The house has lovely period features such as exposed beams and an open fireplace, below
A perfect choice for first-timers, this three-bedroom farmhouse has a sizeable three-acre plot, outbuildings and, for foodies who dream of homegrown produce, there is a kitchen garden surrounded by fruit trees.
The house needs modernising but has lovely period features such as exposed beams and an open fireplace.
Outside, there’s a greenhouse, brick shed and a small livestock building. This smallholding sits at the foothills of the Black Mountains and is a 15-minute drive from the Welsh town of Ammanford. Meanwhile, the capital city of Cardiff can be reached in just over an hour by car.
Buy it: For sale with BJP Residential
9. Cwm Golau, Cyfronydd, Wales, £400,000
This three-bedroom cottage comes with a whopping 17 acres of land
The cottage does need a lick of paint, but this smallholding presents an opportunity for someone to tend to animals and live out their farming dream
You get a lot of bang for your buck with this property.
Set in a rural, sunny spot, this three-bedroom cottage comes with a whopping 17 acres of land and is on the market for just £400,000. The plot also includes several outbuildings including barns, workshops, storage sheds and three car ports.
The cottage does need a lick of paint, but this smallholding presents an opportunity for someone to tend to animals and live out their farming dream.
Buy it: For sale with Halls
10. Hebron, Whitland, Wales, £425,000
This plot has around nine acres of land, which includes three fields and gardens
It includes a detached stone barn which could be converted into a workshop or home office
This four-bedroom property has an open-plan living room and conservatory, as well as a detached stone barn that could be converted into a workshop or home office.
The plot has around nine acres of land, which includes three fields and gardens with a greenhouse and polytunnel.
The agents note that Japanese Knotweed – an invasive plant that can spread quickly – has been found to the rear of the garden but the current owners have taken action and there is a treatment plan in place.
Buy it: For sale with JJ Morris
11. Stowe Knighton, Shropshire, £525,000
This four-bedroom house in Shropshire dates back to the 1700s
It has an inglenook fireplace, exposed beams and a woodburning stove
One for the history lovers, this smallholding in Shropshire dates back to the 1700s and was the mill house to the former mill nearby.
With an inglenook fireplace, exposed beams and a woodburning stove, the four-bedroom house has plenty of character.
Outside, there is a traditional barn that has planning permission for a residential annex and a further barn, garden, parking and paddocks across just over two acres.
The property is set just a mile and a half from the town of Knighton, which has a railway station, doctors surgery, primary school, supermarket and petrol station. The market town of Ludlow is a 30-minute drive away.
Buy it: For sale with David Parry & Co
12. Torthorwald, Dumfries, Scotland, £540,000
This traditional smallholding features a one-and-a-half-storey sandstone house
It has been in the same family for the past 66 years
Looking to get away from it all? This traditional smallholding features a one-and-a-half-storey sandstone house, in a private location with no neighbours.
It comes with 21 acres of land that is currently grazed with dairy cattle from a neighbouring farmer.
The smallholding has been in the same family for the past 66 years and presents a lovely opportunity for someone new to take it on and put their mark on it.
It’s located near the southern Scottish market town of Dumfries, which has a range of secondary schools, a university campus, shopping centre and even an ice rink.
Buy it: For sale with Threave Rural
13. Fen Farm, Hall Lane, Fiskerton, Lincolnshire, £585,000
Fen Farm has more than 15 acres of land, stables and woodland
Beams feature in the living spaces of this picture-perfect property in Lincolnshire
If development isn’t for you, this picture-perfect property in Lincolnshire is the full package.
Located just outside the village of Fiskerton, Nottinghamshire, Fen Farm has more than 15 acres of land, stables and woodland.
For animal lovers, there are poultry runs set up within the woodland, as well as a hay barn and goat pens.
The green space to the front of the house is the quintessential English country garden, with an abundance of wildflowers and cherry, sycamore, willow, apple and beech trees.
A trackway leads through the woodland to a gated access to the paddock land. Buyers should be aware that the property flooded last year, but the owners report that part of the yard and the house were unaffected.
Buy it: For sale with Robert Bell & Company
14. Sutton Spring Wood, Derbyshire, £595,000
This smallholding is found in the English village of Temple Normanton but is just a ten-minute drive from the market town Chesterfield
It boasts a roomy kitchen as well as a wood-burning stove and French doors
An excellent choice for those wanting the best of both worlds, this smallholding is found in the English village of Temple Normanton but is just a ten-minute drive from the market town Chesterfield, with its bars, restaurants coffee shops and pubs
The property comes with stables and paddocks, as well as a small woodland which makes up part of the two acres of land and a spacious detached double garage.
Inside, there’s a wood-burning stove and French doors.
15. Hollands Hill, Martin Mill, Dover, £600,000
With just under two acres of land, a pond, shed, greenhouse and summer house, this plot presents a prime opportunity to live off your own produce
The perfect project to live ‘The Good Life’, this three-bedroom bungalow needs modernisation but could be a blank canvas for someone wanting to start their smallholding dream.
With just under two acres of land, a pond, shed, greenhouse and summer house, this plot presents a prime opportunity to live off your own produce and have a few animals.
Set in the south-east of England, the location is ideal for people who need easy access to London, with trains from nearby Martin Mill to St Pancras in 1 hour 17 minutes.
And if you’re craving the sea, the pretty seaside town of Deal is just 14 minutes away by car. This smallholding is also part of a scheme which means that people over 60 can secure the property for a reduced rate.
Buy it: For sale with Wards
16. Wild Rose Cottage, Gravels Bank Minsterley, Shrewsbury, £750,000
Alongside the three-bedroomed main cottage, there are two detached studio cottages that could be used for Airbnb guests
The well-maintained property also comes with a generous 13 acres of land
This smallholding is on the more expensive end of the scale, however, the added extras present a prime opportunity for someone wanting to make a business out of their smallholding.
Alongside the three-bedroomed main cottage, there are two detached studio cottages that could be used for Airbnb guests or long-term rentals, as well three stables and barns. The smallholding also comes with a generous 13 acres of land.
Buy it: For sale with Halls
17. Bridell, Cardigan, Wales, £775,000
This property is ideal for someone who dreams of farming or setting up an equestrian business
It features a traditional farmhouse with five bedrooms and is set within 12 acres of land, below
Ideal for someone who dreams of farming or setting up an equestrian business, this smallholding is located, once again, in west Wales.
The plot, which comes with 12 acres of land, features a traditional farmhouse with five bedrooms and farming outhouses including a bullpen, cattle shed, barns and three corrugated iron sheeted workshops.
Buy it: For sale with Morgan & Davies
18. Lythe Lane, Lowgill, Lancaster, £850,000
The farmhouse was built in 1779 and is a modern example of off-grid living
It has many historic features such as flagstone floors and original oak beams
The property looks out onto the stunning Lancaster hills
For the eco-conscious, this smallholding presents the opportunity of a lifetime to swap the rat race for a life living and working within nature.
The farmhouse was built in 1779 and has many historic features such as flagstone floors and original oak beams.
But with its own 5kw wind turbine on site, it is also a modern example of off-grid living, with the private turbine and solar panels with 15kw lithium battery supplying a large proportion of the energy needed to power the farm.
There is also a hay barn, stone stables and two steel frame agricultural sheds and wooden hay stores.
Buy it: For sale with Richard Turner & Son
