The latest news from the property market

ACCORDING to the latest market report released by property consultancy

Galbraith for the third quarter of the year, activity in the Scottish Borders outperformed that of every other part of Scotland.

Sales through the first in the region rose 150 per cent year-on-year to reach the highest level for many years – despite the market being locked down for three months from March to June – while the number of viewing conducted by the firm rose by 102 per cent. Alex Inglis, head of residential agency for Borders region, says: “The past quarter has been notable for the very significant level of interest in rural property, in particular homes with a good-sized garden or some additional land. These are the key selling points, along with a suitable space to work from home and a good broadband connection or satellite broadband.”

FIGURES released by Registers of Scotland reveal that the average price of a property in Scotland at the end of September this year stood at £161,510, an increase of 4.3 per cent compared to the same period the previous year.

However, as a result of lockdown in March, the volume of residential sales in Scotland in July was 4,982 – markedly down 43.7 per cent on the original provisional estimate for July 2019.

“Scottish house prices continue to trend upwards in September, this is the largest annual increase in Scottish house prices since October 2018,” comments RoS officer Janet Egdell.

In terms of style, semi-detached homes showed the largest increase, up 5.6 per cent in the year to September, while the largest average price increase was in South Ayrshire, where the average property price increased by 8.1 per cent to £149,168.

THE refurbishment of historic 19th Century Dalnair Castle on the edge of Croftamie village near Drymen has been completed, which offers buyers seeking to escape to the country and live like royalty within acres of landscaped parkland on the edge of Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park, the perfect opportunity to live the dream.

Currently available are luxuriously appointed two-bedroomed apartments ranging in price from £325,000 to

Live like royalty in the restored Dalnair Castle

£459,000 – all with en-suite to the main bedroom, fitted/integrated kitchens, lift access and electric charging points for vehicles. In addition to its unique setting, residents have access to the private grounds, which include a tennis court – there are also several golf clubs in the vicinity.

Appointments to view can be made through Corum’s Bearsden office.