SEMI-DETACHED properties are the mainstay of the family housing market, particularly those in good locations close to major towns and cities, writes Beverley Brown. Here are three newly on the market that highlight the diverse merits of being semi-detached….

TORWOOD is a classic 1930s semi in the affluent Lower Whitecraigs suburb in East Renfrewshire. Professionally extended and refurbished by the present owners, the house is set in landscaped garden grounds on Milverton Road, a sought-after address close to top-rated schools and other amenities, including Whitecraigs railway station and Rouken Glen Park.
Internally upgraded to an exacting specification and finish and with a layout designed to meet the demands of modern lifestyles, the property’s original character features have been retained, including colourful stained and leaded windows and fireplaces.
Downstairs are a formal lounge, a separate sitting room (both rooms benefitting from bay windows and focal fireplaces), and an impressive 27ft split-level kitchen and dining area, the former fully fitted on three sides to include integrated appliances and blockwood work surfaces. This superb family hub also has a door to the garden.
Upstairs are four large double bedrooms – one with a contemporary en-suite shower room, while another has a wall of built-in storage – and an attractive family bathroom.
 Torwood’s rear garden is fully enclosed and incorporates lawns, paved patio, planted beds, mature trees and shrubs – to the side is a sizeable chipped driveway leading to a carport and garage.
Offers over £540,000 are invited by Countrywide’s Clarkston office.

The Herald:

ONLY minutes from the centre of Stirling, The Bothy is a charming and deceptively spacious semi-detached character property set in a peaceful farmland landscape that belies its proximity to the city. The house dates from the mid-1800s and provides unspoilt panoramic views to the Wallace Monument and distant hills – a location that also makes it easily commutable to Glasgow and Perth.
The L-shaped layout includes a living room with wood-burner and  conservatory. A second reception room (also with a wood-burner) is used as a study – and the dining kitchen has a Stanley range cooker that provides the hot water supply. Completing the ground floor is a utility, shower room and guest bedroom with an external door.
Upstairs is a master bedroom with a balcony, walk-in wardrobe and en-suite shower room. The first floor also has two further bedrooms with Velux windows and a stylish family bathroom.
Outside are a garage, log store and attractive gardens. Other incentives include fishing on the River Teith and easy access to Loch Lomond, which combined with this property’s close proximity to Stirling, offers the best of both. CKD Galbraith’s Stirling office is asking for offers over £375,000.

The Herald:

NUMBER 2 Roadsmans in the Carron Valley might seem familiar as the four bedroomed house was televised last year on the BBC’s property programme, Love it or List it, during which it received a makeover by Kirstie Allsopp that included extending into the attic to turn the three-bedroom/one bathroom semi into a spacious four-bedroom/two bathroom family home. It was so successful the owners opted to Love it and stay put but now a job move makes listing it a necessity. The house – which includes paddocks extending to 2.5 acres and stables – presents a rare opportunity to buy an equestrian property.
Surrounded by open countryside yet easily accessible for Stirling and Falkirk and commutable to Glasgow and Edinburgh via the M9, the accommodation includes an attractive lounge with log-burning stove, dining kitchen and two bathrooms. Beautifully presented throughout, a notable extra feature is the covered log store/boot room/front porch, created as part of the makeover. The property also has planning permission for a ground floor extension (details available).
Directly across the road are level grass paddocks with secure boundary fencing and frontage on the River Carron, plus two timber-built stables, tack store and an open field shelter. Lighting is provided by solar panels. Offers over £215,000 are invited by Baird Lumsden in Bridge of Allan.