The Herald - The Herald Magazine
THE VOICE OF PROPERTY
IN recent times Paisley has sometimes been perceived as a poor relation to Glasgow – but it now looks like its fortunes are changing, having been recognised as the UK’s top property hotspot by portal, Rightmove. The website reveals local estate agents in Paisley report access to nature and green spaces may have contributed to rising house prices in the area – attributes made more important during the pandemic lockdowns. The average price of a home in Paisley is currently £126,903 – £16,183 more than a year ago.
Tim Bannister, Rightmove’s director of property data, adds: “Demand for property in Paisley is very high at the moment, with searches for homes to buy in the town having risen by 44 per cent compared to this time last year. Naturally, demand leads to rising prices and with swathes of rolling countryside on the doorstep, it makes sense that Paisley is such a popular destination for home-movers looking for more space.”
CHANCELLOR Rishi Sunak is widely expected to extend the stamp duty holiday south of the border from April to June in the forthcoming Budget. As a result, pressure is mounting for the Scottish Government to maintain a level playing field and if confirmed, extend the same benefit to Scottish homeowners. According to property firm Apropos, there is already a clear argument for extending the increased threshold for Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) as the Scottish Government has benefitted from £222.8m in revenue over the last five months (from September onwards when the impact of the stamp duty holiday began). This is £39.4m more than was generated in the same five months of the previous year.
ALLANWATER Homes has announced the launch of an exclusive new multi-million-pound development in Haddington – a first in East Lothian for the Stirlingshire-based house builder.
In the Letham Mains area of the town, Allanwater Haddington will offer energy-efficient three and four-bedroomed bungalows and threebedroomed linked villas – some of which have been designed specifically for this new development. All properties feature the firm’s new ‘as included’ specification featuring top brand name manufacturers and suppliers. The first completions are anticipated this summer. Visit www.allanwaterhomes.co.uk.