Home Report Portknockie
Home reports are required by law in Scotland when it comes to selling a residential property. They are there to give buyers a solid reckoning of all the important details offering peace of mind for the buyer and the seller alike. With home reports, a Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) regulated surveyor with a deep knowledge of the local area and a nearby office is essential criteria to provide a thorough and rigorous survey. If you’re selling in the Portknockie area, then Shepherd Chartered Surveyors satisfies all criteria to deliver a comprehensive and trusted home report.
Shepherd Chartered Surveyors are the largest provider of home reports in Scotland. We are represented on all major lender’s panels and our knowledge of the market in Portknockie, and wider Moray area is second to none. With many years of experience surveying locations across Scotland and a vast network of offices, we can guarantee an exceedingly high quality of service. You can be sure of speaking to an experienced Royal Institution regulated Chartered Surveyor who can provide you with a quote ahead of any commitment.
Buying in Portknockie
Perched high on cliffs above the Moray Firth, Portknockie is one of Moray’s classic fishing villages, famed for the natural sea-arch of Bow Fiddle Rock and for wide-open views that change with the light and tide. The settlement remains compact and walkable, centred on streets that tumble gently towards a working harbour. With a population of around 1,230, Portknockie feels intimate and close-knit without being remote. The village lies on the A942 between Findochty and Cullen on Moray’s north coast. It is roughly 2 miles west of Cullen and about 2 miles east of Findochty, making both villages easy, five-minute hops by bus or car. Elgin, the area’s principal town for major shopping, healthcare and rail links, is around 17 miles southwest by road. For wider travel, Inverness Airport is about 52 miles to the west and Aberdeen International Airport around 54 miles to the southeast.
Although the clifftop setting makes the village look timeless, Portknockie has a clear origin story. It was founded in 1677 and grew rapidly with the booming herring industry of the 19th century. A harbour improvement programme followed; the foundation stone for the Lady Seafield Jetty was laid in April 1890, giving better all-tide access and underpinning the village’s prosperity through the peak fishing years.
The present-day economy of Portknockie has changed of course; fishing is no longer the dominant employer, though small inshore boats still use the harbour and the village retains its maritime character. Many residents work along the Moray coast in Buckie and Elgin in healthcare, retail, education, distilling, food & drink and public services, with offshore wind supply-chain activity increasingly focused on nearby Buckie Harbour. Tourism also supports the local economy: visitors come year-round for the Moray Coast Trail, dolphin-spotting, sea-kayaking and the short stroll to Bow Fiddle Rock, while a steady stream of holiday lets and B&Bs add seasonal footfall to village shops and cafés.
When it comes to transport and commuting, for day-to-day public travel, the coastal bus corridor is the workhorse. Stagecoach’s 35/X35 services knit Portknockie into the network between Elgin and Aberdeen via Cullen, Buckie, Portsoy and Banff, with village stops on Pulteney Street and Bridge Street. From Portknockie it’s a direct bus into Elgin’s bus/rail interchange; motorists reach Elgin in roughly 30–40 minutes depending on traffic. Airports at Inverness and Aberdeen are feasible for business or leisure trips, each around the hour-and-a-half mark by road in typical conditions.
As for local amenities, shops and things to do, the heart of the village gathers around Seafield Street, Pulteney Street, Admiralty Street and the lanes that run towards the harbour. Many cottages on these streets are protected for their historic character, and the tight grain of the original plan makes for sheltered corners out of the wind. From the cliffs above the harbour a short, waymarked path leads to Bow Fiddle Rock — a quartzite arch and one of the north-east coast’s most photographed landmarks — while the 50-mile Moray Coast Trail passes right through, linking easy half-day loops to Cullen, Findochty and beyond. Golfers have two classic links nearby at Cullen and Buckie; Cullen’s Old Tom Morris design is minutes away. In the village itself you’ll find everyday basics — a post office, pharmacy and convenience options — with fuller retail in Buckie and Elgin. The railway once linked the coast here, but Portknockie station closed in 1968; today, parts of that former line are a popular walking and cycling route with dramatic crossings over the Cullen viaducts.
In terms of local schooling, Portknockie Primary sits within walking distance for most of the village and feeds to Buckie High School for secondary education. The wider Buckie Associated School Group covers a cluster of coastal communities, which helps with after-school activities and transport arrangements. Further and higher education are available in Elgin.
In September 2025, property in the Portknockie area has an average value of £190,938. Housing in Portknockie is a pleasing mix. Closest to the harbour and older core you’ll find traditional 1–1½-storey fisher cottages, many stone-built and harled, often with dormers and neat forecourts; a number are listed for their architectural value, particularly along Seafield Street and Admiralty/Pulteney Streets. Fringing the centre are inter-war and post-war terraces and bungalows, plus later infill and small cul-de-sacs from the late 20th century onward.
Why Use Shepherd Chartered Surveyors?
Shepherd Chartered Surveyors are the largest provider of home reports in Scotland, with origins dating back to the 18th century. Fully regulated by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, we can offer an in-depth knowledge of the Portknockie and wider Moray property market that nobody else can.
If you’re looking for a home report in Portknockie or other Moray localities, you’ll find the nearby Shepherd’s branch in Elgin at Park House Business Centre, South Street, Elgin, Moray, IV30 1JB. We cover all properties across this area including Aberlour, Archiestown, Aviemore, Ballindalloch, Boat of Garten, Brodie, Buckie, Burghead, Cairngorms National Park, Carrbridge, Carron, Cragganmore, Craigellachie, Cromdale, Cullen, Dalwhinnie, Dufftown, Dulnain Bridge, Elgin, Fochabers, Findhorn, Findochty, Forres, Garmouth, Grantown on Spey, Hopeman, Keith, Kincraig, Kingussie, Kinloss, Knockando, Laggan, Lhanbryde, Moray, Mosstodloch, Nethy Bridge, Newtonmore, Portgordon, Portknockie, Rothes, Spey Bay, Strathspey, Tomatin, Tomintoul and Urquhart, equating to postcode areas AB37, AB38, AB55, AB56, IV13, IV30, IV31, IV32, IV36, PH19, PH20, PH21, PH22, PH23, PH24, PH25 and PH26. We are available at our office to give you a quote at any time. Nobody can offer the same level of local market knowledge as Shepherd, our wealth of experience, proven industry expertise and vast network of offices stand testament to that.
Elgin Office Details
- Park House Business Centre, South Street, Elgin, Moray, IV30 1JB
- Email: elgin@shepherd.co.uk
- Tel: 01343 614 949
Opening Hours:
- Monday – Thursday: 8.45am to 5.30pm
- Friday: 8.45am to 5pm
Request a Home Report Quote Today
Please get in touch for any and all enquiries regarding home reports in Portknockie. We will be happy to provide a free quote, or even just answer any important questions you may have. To find other offices please visit our branch list. If you request a quote a member of our team will respond within 24 hours.
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