Take A Tour Of A Whole Scottish Island For Sale For Just $2.1 Million

Have you ever dreamed of owning your own island? What about living in a castle? If so, you're in luck! The Scottish Isle of Vaila is currently on sale — and it's surprisingly dirt cheap. According to Savills, the island's current owners have received offers of over £1,750,000, or about $2,150,000. For that price, you might think that the island is tiny, barren, or has some other catch. While there isn't a significant population on the island, it spans a whopping 757 acres.

The Isle of Vaila contains several impressive structures, including a 6-bedroom 17th-century castle, a 3-bedroom farmhouse, a 2-bedroom caretaker's cottage, and an 18th-century watchtower to defend against unruly tourists that might be coming your way. The only catch we've found is that the island is not particularly energy efficient. Scotland's properties are provided with an Energy Performance Certificates rating from A, the best, to G, the worst; Vaila received an F. That being said, we'd be okay with a high electric bill if we got to live on our own private island.

Although Isle of Vaila has relatively few structures considering its sprawling size, all of its homes are reasonably significant. While you could certainly fit a few guests into the main castle or entertain them in one of the four reception rooms, those who want a little more privacy could also stay in the other buildings. Since the property is relatively affordable, we'd also imagine that a few families could purchase the island and live on it together, each taking a section of the castle or one of the other buildings. 

Depending on the number of people involved and your current location, this solution might even be cheaper than buying a home in a major city. Per Realtor, the average standalone home in Portland costs $550,000, while splitting the island four ways would leave each person with a $540,000 bill. Unfortunately, the fact that there is no nearby town might be a hassle sooner than you'd expect. Whenever you need groceries, you'd have to travel to the mainland. Plus, it would be more difficult to get repairs serviced, and you'd likely be lonely if you didn't have others living on the island.

Brave or foolish enough to live on the island solo? Assuming you take up the castle as your residence, you'll be treated to a building with gorgeous historical charm. Our favorite details are the light fixture, and in the living room, the stained glass windows give the area a soft glow. Likewise, the dining room's chandelier features shards of colored glass or crystal, and we can only imagine how beautiful the room looks with the hints of rainbow dancing across the walls.

Unfortunately, few photos of the castle's interior are on the real estate website, making it hard to tell if the cost will increase significantly as the new owners tackle substantial repairs. Since the Isle of Vaila was built in the 17th century, via Savills, we'd assume that it's best to set aside a considerable chunk of change for repairs over the next few years to be on the safe side.

If you're thinking of moving your favorite feline to the island, you might want to think again. While the picturesque fields look like they'd be fun to frolic in, your cat may not want to stick around. According to the third volume of "A General Collection of the Best and Most Interesting Voyages and Travels," a collection of wild tales compiled by John Pinkerton and published in 1809, there is a legend about the island. Apparently, cats will not willingly go to the island of Vaila, and any feline who is brought against their will instead tries to escape by running into the water. 

The last cat who existed peacefully upon the island supposedly lived about 50 years before the book's publication — right around when supernatural beings reportedly tormented the island's owner. Purportedly, cats can sense something humans cannot and would instead jump into the water than be in its presence. While this is probably just a spooky old story, you might want to reconsider the move if you've got a pet cat or two.