The average house price in Scotland has grown to more than £165,000, according to a report.
In the last three months of 2014 there were £4.2 billion of property sales, up 3.1% on 2013, Registers of Scotland (RoS) figures show.
The average house price between October and December 2014 was £165,197, up 3.4% on the same period in the previous year and the highest figure for the third quarter since RoS began compiling house price statistics in 2003.
Despite the rise in average values, there was a slight drop in the number of sales over the quarter with a fall of 0.3% - the first decrease in the volume of sales since the second quarter of 2012/13.
The highest average price was in Aberdeenshire at £232,331, while the majority of house sales took place in Edinburgh with 2,924 transactions worth £656 million.
All property types apart from detached houses showed an increase in average price during the quarter, the largest being in semi-detached properties at 5.5%.
Bob Fraser, senior property partner at estate agent Aberdein Considine, said: "The third quarter figures from Registers of Scotland always paint the most accurate picture of the property market because the sales agreed over the spring and summer tend to settle in this quarter.
"What these figures tell us is that the property market around Scotland is extremely robust with prices and sales generally rising - even in what would be considered the poorer areas of the country.
"A few areas in particular are worth a special mention. The value of sales has jumped by more than 20% in Moray, which I would put down to a renewed confidence in the area's economy after the future of the region's bases was cleared up.
"Also, average prices in Aberdeenshire have risen by another 5% year-on-year, making homes in the region the most expensive in Scotland - even more expansive than Edinburgh, which is typically higher.
"Undoubtedly this is due to the oil and gas industry, which has faced cost pressures since these transactions. Future figures will give a better reflection of what impact the oil price drop has, if any."
Deputy First Minister John Swinney said the report showed "positive signs" in the housing market.
"Housing continues to be a priority for this Government, which is why we are investing over £1.7 billion to deliver our target of 30,000 affordable homes during the lifetime of this Parliament," Mr Swinney said.
"We continue to provide a range of support to the private housing sector. We are helping people to access home ownership and buy new-build homes through schemes like MI New Home, and we have invested £305 million in Help to Buy (Scotland) and the new Help to Buy (Scotland) Small Developers scheme.
"We are also easing housing pressures by working with partners to develop innovative funding approaches, including our National Housing Trust initiative and investment in charitable bonds."
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