Sales of property in Tayside go through the roof

HOUSE hunters are flocking to Tayside as Dundee’s development fuels interest in the area.

The number of people who bought properties in the city rose by 21% in the past three months — the biggest increase in Scotland over the period.

It far outstripped the Scottish 9% increase which was, itself, the biggest regional rise in the UK.

Angus is also buoyant, with a 2% increase in purchases in the county, while the upswing in Perth and Kinross was an impressive 14%.

Fife fared worse, with a drop of 6% of sales in the kingdom.

The findings were released by eMoov, which analyses listings on websites Rightmove and Zoopla across all council areas in the country.

Russell Quirk, chief executive of eMoov, said projects such as the V&A, coupled with a steady price for property, has piqued interest in the city.

He said: “Although the area hasn’t enjoyed the same boom as Edinburgh where prices are up 10% annually, it has also avoided the 8% bust seen in Aberdeen where prices have plummeted and sits comfortably between these two extremes with an increase of 2% over the last 12 months.

“This is largely a result of a reduced supply of stock on the market, coupled with an average house price half that of Edinburgh and about £30,000 cheaper than the Scottish average.

“Not only is the area far more affordable but continued development has seen it increase in popularity as a destination for Scottish homeowners.”

Lynn Hill, centre manager at Tayside Solicitors Property Centre (TSPC), has noticed a recent upsurge in the market.

She said: “We are seeing a lot of properties going to closing date as it’s a very competitive market right now.

“There are a lot of would-be buyers out there.”

The property market is booming