Scottish house prices edge up 0.1% in January and grow 1.5% annually
Housing prices in Scotland increased only marginally in January, up £137 (0.1%), to make the average home in the country worth £171,407, according to Your Move.
Over the last 12 months, however, average prices have risen by £2,600 - equivalent to annual growth of 1.5%.
Concerns over the Brexit vote has had little impact on house prices since June, with fairly steady increases. Annual growth is 0.5 percentage points higher than this time last year.
Across the country, Your Move found mixed results. Exactly half of the 32 local authority areas saw prices rise in January, led by Inverclyde, up 5.3%.
Eight of the 10 most expensive local authority areas in Scotland saw increases in prices over the last 12 months. East Renfrewshire, the most expensive area in Scotland, has seen average prices grow 8.9% in the last year to £248,735.
By contrast, more than half the cheapest 10 local authorities have prices lower than they were 12 months ago, with the biggest drop in values over the year in North Ayrshire, down 11.5%. It’s now the cheapest area other than Na h-Eileanan Siar.
Even Inverclyde, which saw a 5.3% monthly increase in prices in January (helped by its second highest value house sale in the last year), experienced a 6.5% drop in prices over the year.
Christine Campbell, Your Move managing director in Scotland, said: “Relatively slow house price growth in Scotland is proving a blessing for first-time buyers. The early indications are that they’re using the opportunity to get on the ladder, helping to sustain transaction numbers.
“It will be interesting to see how talks of another Scottish referendum play out, and whether or not it has an impact on buyer and seller appetite to make a move now, or indeed, in the future.”