Julie of Strawberry Grange has been named the winner of the Female Founder Scotland Real Estate Award following public voting. Discover why this recognition is about more than winning an award. It's a sign that more people are embracing custom-build homes, thoughtful design and a more personal approach to creating their forever home in Aberdeen.

Self build is often misunderstood. Many people assume it means managing contractors alone, battling planning permission, or needing a “Grand Designs” budget. In reality, modern custom build can offer a far more supported and practical route to creating a home designed around real life. In this blog, we explore seven of the most common misconceptions about self build, and why more people are reconsidering what’s possible.

Most gardens are inherited, not designed. But when you’re building your own home, the question shifts — from “what can I do with this space?” to “what do I actually want it to be?” At Strawberry Grange, the garden isn’t an afterthought, but a fundamental part of how a home is shaped and lived in.

For many people, the dream of building a home doesn’t stall at design, it stalls at land. Long searches, planning uncertainty, and hidden constraints can quietly drain momentum before the journey truly begins. This article explains why finding land is often the hardest part of building your home, and how a serviced, supported approach can remove barriers and restore confidence.

Strawberry Grange offers thoughtfully planned custom-build plots in Aberdeen, with a supported approach that allows meaningful input into your home’s layout without the pressure of managing a complex self-build.