What it is: A large three-storey former tax office in downtown Wick, the most northerly town on the east coast of Britain and once the herring capital of the world. The 19th-century property, built in the town’s fishing heyday, was originally the home of the chief coastguard, and Robert Louis Stevenson stayed there when he sojourned in Wick as a trainee engineer in the 1860s. He later described it as “one of the meanest of man’s towns”.

The stone building is laid out as offices, with four rooms, a reception area and a lavatory on the ground floor; more bathrooms on a mezzanine; five rooms and a kitchen on the first floor; and three rooms at the top. It retains many original features, including the central staircase and cornices. Wick is two hours’ drive from Inverness, or a 2½hr flight from London (not direct).

The problems:Turning 10 Harbour Terrace into a residential dwelling is a big undertaking. The selling agent says that, subject to gaining the necessary planning consents, it could be converted into one large family house, two modest townhouses or up to six individual flats. The new owner would need to spend at least £100,000 on refurbishment, but could sell off or let all or part of the building after conversion. “It is a big, big job,” says the agent. “It would suit an amateur developer looking for a project or a builder looking to retire somewhere with a built-in nest egg.” He also has a word of warning about life on the northeasterly tip of Scotland: it is cold and very windy.

The advantages:Two-bedroom flats in Wick sell for up to £50,000. There is no established holiday-rentals business there, but the agent says that a similar two-bed property could let for £250 per month.

Georgesons; 01955 606060, www.georgesons.co.uk

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