The island of Iona lies three quarters of a mile off the southwest tip of Mull. It has a population of 177 permanent residents mainly around the settlement of Baile Mor.
Iona is served by a ferry from Fionnphort on Mull which makes regular crossings across the Sound of Iona throughout the day. The crossing takes 15 minutes. The service operates from 7am to 6pm seven days a week. There are no boats after 6pm.
The island has its own primary school, two hotels, a general store, a post office, a cafe/restaurant and several craft shops. The main industries on the island are tourism, heritage and agriculture.
Iona is largely owned by the National Trust for Scotland (NTS). The Abbey and other historic buildings on the island are in the care of Historic Scotland.
Housing
Social Housing
Argyll Community Housing Association (ACHA) manages the social housing stock on the Isle of Iona. Their stock currently on the island is one 3-bedroom house. If you would like more information, please visit the ACHA wesbite.
The Iona Housing Partnership (IHP) was created by the Community Council to answer the demand for affordable housing on the island. The aim is to provide 5 affordable rental homes. IHP has raised a large sum of money itself and has been awarded grant funding from Argyll & Bute Council but they are still fundraising. To see how you can help, click here.
Housing for Sale
There is a very restricted market in housing on the island. Houses come up for sale on average one per year. These properties generally sell at a premium compared with equivalent houses on Mull. This reflects the desirability of Iona as a place to have a holiday home. This external demand puts the houses beyond the reach of island households reliant on generally low-income employment.
The Scottish Government promotes initiatives to help first time buyers, but some like the Help to Buy scheme and the MI New Home initiatives are mainly available for new build housing in locations outside of the Hebrides.
Open Market LIFT may be accessible, however access to financial support is currently limited and house price thresholds are low. In Iona, the low threshold means there are few if any houses coming on the market where Open Market LIFT would be relevant. Many islands also have few house sales limiting this option – it is not available for self build.
Islanders may also be able to get help to buy through the Mortgage Guarantee Scheme
The following houses are currently for sale on Iona- Zoopla
Recent house prices can be viewed here
House Plots
Any house plots available on Iona are listed here and here
Private Rented Housing
The following properties are available for rent
Housing Options
HomeArgyll provides detailed information about housing options across Argyll. Click on the logo for their information on Iona.