The average house price in Scotland rose by £7,599 last year, with East Renfrewshire recording the highest increase of £28,358, according to analysis of the latest statistics by estate agent DJ Alexander.
In contrast, the average house price in the rest of the UK fell by £740 over the same period.
DJ Alexander noted the latest data from the monthly house price index show that, between January 2023 and December 2023, average house prices in Scotland rose from £182,742 to £190,341.
The leap in the average house price in East Renfrewshire took this to £309,608.
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The average house price in East Lothian rose by £22,318 to £329,427, with an increase of £16,396 to £243,932 in Midlothian.
In East Dunbartonshire, the average house price was up by £16,180 to £271,752, while Edinburgh saw a rise of £13,050 to £337,558.
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There were three areas in Scotland where the average house price fell, DJ Alexander noted, with Dumfries and Galloway seeing a drop of £8,354 to £155,717.
The average house price was down by £6,759 to £185,409 in Argyll and Bute, and fell by £540 to £189,261 in Moray.
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David Alexander, chief executive officer of DJ Alexander for Scotland, said: “The Scottish housing market has remained remarkably resilient over the last few years. An increase of £7,599 equates to a 4.2% rise last year at a time when interest rates had risen, utility bills were soaring, and there were concerns over the sluggish performance of the economy.
“Despite all of these factors, almost every part of Scotland recorded an increase in average prices with five areas having a double-digit [percentage] rise over the 12 months.”
He added: “The largest increases occurred in and around Edinburgh and Glasgow, highlighting how popular these areas remain for buyers. People seem to be drawn back to live and work in cities again and the trend for rural and remote homebuying may be on the decline.
“Certainly, the drop in prices in Moray, Argyll and Bute, and Dumfries and Galloway would indicate this as the trend toward country life may be reversing at the moment. It was interesting to note that Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire have both experienced positive growth which must be due to the announcements of further developments in the oil and gas sector, which is once again revitalising the economy in the North-East.”
He declared the figures were “remarkably positive and indicate a housing market that remains robust and buoyant”.
Mr Alexander sees further increases in house prices north of the Border.
He said: “With interest rates likely to fall [and] employment remaining high, I believe these increases in Scottish house prices are likely to continue in the coming year.”
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