Looking for a self build plot in the Borders is getting nowhere, but, there are at least 2 nice looking plots around Dumfries. And they tend to be a little cheaper too.
At first glance, the area looks great, close to the M6 to visit ageing family, Ae/Mabie/Dalbeatie within 20 minutes, kayaking on both rivers and the Solway Firth close by, road biking all around, loads of shops in Dumfries itself. And a big enough Town for us to get work.
Obviously we have only had brief visits (we are there again on Saturday for 4 hours), so dont really know the area.
Has anyone any experience of the area?
Oh, one of the plots is around 200 metres from the sewage plant, we only just noticed that when viewing the larger map, strange how the estate agent doesnt mention that!

I’ve always had a soft spot for Moniaive.

Might depend on where you live now on how you view Dumfries… it was a shit hole when I lived there as a teenager and when I took my kids a couple of years ago they decided it was still crap! It’s pretty cut off from other major towns/cities and you might want to check the jobs pages before you assume there’s much work there. It’s had a few attempts at regeneration over the years and it seemed to me going back that the rural areas have been more revived than Dumfries itself. If you don’t have kids or teenagers you might be able to avoid enough for anything other than a supermarket shop that it doesn’t matter and you can just enjoy the cheap living.

Highest number of charity shops per person in UK.

My parents and brother live there. I wouldn’t.

disclaimer … I live and work within D&G

as mentioned employment opportuinities are more limited than you’d expect, town centre shops are really not that good..Carlisle/Glasgow/Edinburgh day trippable.

Personally I’d look outwith Dumfries town, lots of nicer towns/ villages close by, it’s a lovely area, just be very aware of the lack of facilities and opportunities.

I live in Dumfries and like others have said it’s not great for shopping if that’s your thing. Jobs are limited, especially higher paying ones.

On the plus side I like it for the outdoor life. You have easy access to some good biking. It’s not far to the beach and there are plenty lochs to paddle or swim in.

Midges, shit-hole, middle of nowhere, no real hills. Was my conclusion when I was wondering where to live about 10 years ago. I know the countryside isn’t really bad but it isn’t exactly spectacular either. Nothing to draw us there.

I like it to visit, we’ve had a couple of holidays in the area, but i wouldn’t look at dumfries itself. Castle Douglas, perhaps

Another local here. Town itself is pretty grim though much like many others of similar size with the decay of the high street.

I’m not a great ambassador for the town as I think it’s a seagull and junkie infested bin. Though there are small signs of hope on some way nicer cafés than I ever remember here. Plus we’ve got an actual (really good) taproom now and a handful of good pubs. Train to Carlisle takes 40 mins for a bigger high street, Edinburgh and Glasgow are 90 mins by car.

The draw is the area outside Dumfries. For all you’ve mentioned, access to quiet outdoor spaces is excellent.

Thornhill, Moniave, Kirkcudbright etc are all much nicer little towns than here and not far away in the grand scheme of things.

Happy to help with any Q’s, fire away!

Left at 17; wouldn’t move back to the town itself in a hurry. I’d echo what Hannah says above; the town seems to go through waves of regeneration followed by an empty-shop, tumbleweed, junkie-zombie period.
There’s some lovely villages with real community in wider Galloway but I wouldn’t move there on the assumption that finding employment would be easy.
Maybe I’m jaded because I grew up there but I think there’s better places with similar property prices available.

As others have said, it depends what you are looking for.
I live in Moffat and I hate it. I am determined 2022 will be my last year in D&G.
Downsides include:
The weather. It’s very depressing. It’s like living under a leaky Tupperware box. Or a steam room that’s had the heating turned off. You rarely see blue sky, just grey, drizzly, damp, cold weather or full on rain. When the clouds do clear, it can be beautiful and stars fill the sky at night. But it’s not a regular thing.
It has a run-down feel to it.
It’s at least 20 years behind much of the UK.
Weird mix of people although many are friendly.
Transport north and south are ok, east to west is a nightmare.
It feels cut off and isolated.
Getting decent tradesmen is hard.
There’s loads of mtb in the area but like I say, it’s wet, so not always so much fun. Ae is the nearest to me and well, it was the final nail in the coffin to be honest. I think the uplift is good but I’d only really have time and/or skills to ride the blue trail and it’s pretty much nothing but fireroad.

I’d hold out for the Borders if I were you. Or try further north perhaps?

To present an alternative view, but at the same time agreeing in a sense- I’ve lived in Dumfries for 22 years, and it’s the access to the outdoors which is outstanding, walks, bike trails, road cycling, kayaking; beaches, forests, hills, sea cliffs. You are reasonably close to Edinburgh/ Glasgow, Lakes are within an hour. Town itself is limited but there are good bike shops, cafes, restaurants, big burns supper festival in January. I’d not claim its any kind of cultural hub, and sure the hill aren’t Highland/Lakes/Snowdonia in scale but overall variety is fantastic. Everything I need daily is here. Winter can be damp and grey but most of UK is… I suppose I agree I wouldn’t come for the town itself but the area, though Dumfries is still a good base with good amenities.

Thank you all!
It seems the majority view is that Dumfries itself is not brilliant. Good, we’re looking at a village 9 miles to the west. The one on the outskirts of Dumfries, near to the sewage plant is getting a visit, but, I dont think it’ll happen, as , well, it must get the smell most , if not all the time.
I always thought Moffat was a nice place, maybe its an age thing, I’m after a quieter life, there is always something happening on the street I live on, and since the druggies moved in 3 years ago, over the road, things have gone downhill, so most places would be better than this at the moment.
As for plots, or even houses in the Borders, we just cannot get one at a reasonable price. If I sell up here, there is a good chance that I can build a new , better insulated house for around the same as I sell this for. Buying a house is out of the question, as they are too expensive for something decent. Building one gives us a really good choice,and keeps costs down.

Second hand info but here it goes. My sister and brother in law live in Dumfries. They like it. They moved there from Sutherland and enjoyed the pubs and bars of the town plus the easy access to other places. That said they both have good jobs and kids were all about to be leaving home. And on that subject they’re about to move out of Dumfries to a much more remote place.

I grew up in Dumfries and hated it, couldn’t wait to leave, but as I got older I appreciated what the wider area had to offer more and more. I came back 10 years ago with my wife to raise our kids here. We don’t live in Dumfries but further west. I work in a rural industry so finding work wasn’t hard. I love the region, we have great mountain biking, great road riding, great beaches, loads of water sports, fantastic running and some really lovely, properly wild hills devoid of the large crowds you find further north.  There is definitely issues, it’s remote and not well served by transport links, the council are hopeless and make some very questionable decisions. If Dumfries could get some serious investment and the high street revitalised it could be a lovely town. One way that will happen, of course, is if more people come to live here.

It’s all relative.
I’ll take Dumfries over a grim English northern town beginning with B any day of the week.

Following this thread with interest as thinking of moving to Kirkcudbright / Gatehouse / Newton Stewart. Also considering the Borders.

We lived in Kirkcudbright 1996-1999. We still have friends in D&G and visit regularly.

I agree with the Dumfries itself feels worn, but it’s better than a lot of places in the UK comparatively.

There are fewer jobs, and has all the issues that rurality brings. It’s more like Argyll or Highlands in that respect.

However, I love the natural spaces, the character of the place, and as ever people are are people and welcoming. It’s a place with a lot of ‘offcomers’ it seems, so a nice mix of people.

I also like some of the smaller places such as Kirkcudbright, Castle Douglas and even Newton Stewart. They’ve a ‘UK 20 years ago but with internet’ feel going on – easy going, safe places with amazing gossip 🤔 Last holiday in D&G with friends visiting home from South Island NZ – they commented it felt like rural NZ!

Our friends moved there are the same time as us – and they are settled for life…in Dumfries.

@alanl – gonna take a punt at Crocketford-ish sort of way for the one further away from the poo-factory?

It’s a nice enough wee village if so. There’s a pub and wee shop which is rare for places that size round here, the majority are purely housing.

You’re into some nice rolling countryside out that way – Mabie and Dalbeattie forests are within easy striking distance for trail riding and it’s the right side of town for getting down to Colvend coast / Kippford / Rockcliffe way too.

Are you over 50? Do you vote Tory? Are you out for only yourself? Tight bastard?

You’ll fit right in here if it’s a yes to any of those.

Um *winky smiley* I guess?

I wouldn’t rule dumfries out totally, is a good base with amenities, but obviously depends what lifestyle you’re after. Towns and villages to the west are lovely and Castle Douglas is great for food shops and has 2 great bike shops, but when you go west you’re further fro connections North and South (at risk of suggesting the best thing about the town is the road out!), if you have friends / family elsewhere or go to the Highlands/ Lakes etc. I can cycle from my door on quiet roads / cycle path to Mabie, round red route and home in a 2-3 hours… 3 miles out of town, 2 from the sewage works 😉

Are you over 50? Do you vote Tory? Are you out for only yourself? Tight bastard?

You’ll fit right in here if it’s a yes to any of those.

To be fair you find that in a lot of rural locations, I’m not sure it’s that much worse here than other places.

There are dryer parts of the UK

Moved up to Newton Stewart recently.

Been coming up for years and know people across the region. I’d not pick Dumfries but there’s plenty of nice areas not far.

Self build plots appear to get almost as much money as just buying a place.

I’d also look round wigton in Cumbria too….

Oh an Ae has a great shop n riding scene

There are people trying to get the town back on its feet. For example this project, which could be really exciting: https://www.midsteeplequarter.org/the-oven-dumfries

We go to Lochmaben on holiday most years, sometimes multiple times per year. I love the area, maybe not so much Dumfries town, but the whole area seems great to me but I am from the midlands.

If I won big lottery money I’d decamp to a castle up there in a heartbeat.

I’d also look round wigton in Cumbria too….

Good call. North edge of Lakes, from Penrith, through Wigton, then round to Cockermouth is lovely part of the world, and cheaper than other areas closeby.

The hills will be busier though…

I live in Cumbria but have a big soft spot for a lot of D&G but I live in a rural location and the rural parts appeal to me.
There are lots of pro’s to living in Scotland but if you are a higher rate tax payer you will keep more of your money living south of the border, if you have kids going to university soon that will be more than outweighed of course by free tuition fees.

did someone say shithole?

the classic response (from Chic Murray) to someone saying that somewhere is a shit is, just passing through are you?

I visited yesterday, and found it pretty nice TBH.
The plot we viewed was a lot smaller than I expected. Estate Agent pics are there to deceive, not give a true view I think. Although smaller than expected, it is a decent spot, houses over the road from us, a wee burn forms the rear boundary, a line of bushes, then some more houses the other side of the burn. The village is tiny, but, as stated above, has a decent pub/hotel and a shop.
We spoke to a few people, all said it was a lovely place, but,they said you cannot rely on the buses early or late, during the day they are fine.
The first lady we spoke to had lived 20 miles from where we are now, Leics., and had moved there 20 years ago. The second, the Lady in the shop, had moved from S. Yorks. 2 years ago, and , again, loved it there – quiet life, larger towns close by, weather isnt too bad, access to beaches / outdoors etc.
As for Dumfries, it isnt as bad as pictured by some of the posts above. Yes, there are many boarded up shops, but everyone we spoke to was pleasant. Try Leicester if you think Dumfries is bad, You’ll be quite shocked by what goes on here.
Oh, and nights out. We found out that on the way home. The train was pretty full of teens and twenty YO’s going to Carlisle for a night out. Train out to get there for 5pm, eat drink, gig or pub night out, last train home leaves at 23.10, giving a reasonable night out.
We’re having a think about it today, but it looks like an offer will be going in tomorrow.

Good to hear, nowhere’s perfect. My wife’s from Nuneaton and we both prefer Dumfries, similar size and both have their issues but Dumfries more attractive and surroundings massively better here. Both suffer from proximity of bigger towns I think.

I think from the POV of someone that has grown up in the borders it might not be great, but for us midlander’s it’s not far off paradise. When the sun in shining there there isn’t many other places I’d rather be.

Actually had to bail on the beach last may because It was too hot and we paddled in the Water of Ae instead. Bliss.

Sounds good – as Midlanders we probably see the area the same way.

a wee burn forms the rear boundary

I’d be checking how “wee” the wee burn is – that area seems prone to flooding from memory, seem to recall Dumfries and Newton Stewart being in the news in recent times, may affect insurance costs and availability. But if you are building on a plot you can factor it in to a degree.

Both Dumfries and Newton Stewart flood, and badly at times but Crocketford should be totally fine. It’s well away from the Nith and Cree rivers that are the primary cause of flooding in the towns.

Yeah there was flooding this winter.

Better in newton with the new bridge as it doesn’t act like a dam though!

Also check your broadband options we have a line speed of 1 Meg….

Are you over 50? Do you vote Tory? Are you out for only yourself? Tight bastard?

You’ll fit right in here if it’s a yes to any of those.

Um *winky smiley* I guess?

Judging by this morning’s conversation, I’d say it’s worth moving on swiftly if the subject of politics comes up. Two dog walkers having a chat today, I stopped to say hello to the dogs. Nuggets of wisdom included:
Boris Johnson is a very clever man
Keir Starmer was doing exactly the same as BJ (for having a beer with a takeaway when he took a break from work)
We need another Margaret Thatcher.

One of the ladies seems nice enough but she is married to a man who once called me a “foreign b*tch”. We’d got into a row about him letting his dog run up to mine.
She also thinks they are giving the vote on Scotland’s independence to “too many people”.

If you do move here then I hope it all goes well but I cannot wait to get out.

Edited to say: Still can’t quote properly clearly.

Have a look at the We Love Dumfries and Galloway Facebook page to see just how many people are relocating to this area from down south and have donr for years. Many houses in my area have been bought by people moving up.

I hope so @Trekster. They can buy mine.

Both Dumfries and Newton Stewart flood, and badly at times but Crocketford should be totally fine.

Yes, the Land Report says it is a once in 200 year event, so a risk, but not too great.The catchment area is not huge, there is a hill 500 m away, where it starts. It is 123metres above sea level, if it does flood, the whole village will be on alert, as it is reasonably flat. We’ve been told we may have a chance to buy the opposite bank too, which would be nice.
Flooding happens in Dumfries virtually every year, we were speaking to a Lady in the Tourist Centre.Most of the properties bordering the Nith are higher than street level, at a high tide, and loads of rain, the river overflows, up to a metre over the bank.
Dealing with idiot Estate Agents has started today. I got a call from their Solicitor today, with a quote for purchase of a house for £100k. She didnt seem surprised when I told her it wasnt a house, but a piece of land, and was nowhere near that price. The EA had sent over the details by email, and , seemingly just sent over a standard template. Useless idiots. This was the same EA who told me, via email, that it was 600 sq. ft. When I said that was remarkably small,and could she check the size, she said it may actually be 650sq. ft.
It was at that point that I said I would rather speak directly with the seller, which went really well, it is a Housing Developer, and they are really helpful. Apparently, the land does not fit into their standard housing design, so they decided to sell it rather than building a strange shaped house.