Page 16 - February 2024
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HOUSE PRICE REPORT

           The House Price Report: January 2024
                                                                                                140                                             560,000
             We look at what’s been happening in the local property market                                                   Over
                             over the last three months.                                        solicitor estate agents      2,300              My ESPC emails
                                                                                                ready to help you buy and    homes for sale     sent during January
                                                                                                sell homes
            he market across Edinburgh, the Lothians,   The average property selling price across
            Fife  and  the  Borders  remained  steady   Edinburgh,  the  Lothians,  Fife,  and  the
       T during  this  traditionally  quieter  period,   Borders declined 4% during November –
       with a small rise of 3% in property sales volumes,   January, to £271,106.           Properties  took  24  days  to  go  under  offer,   buyers,  especially  those  looking  for  smaller
       hinting at increasing numbers of buyers.                                             five days slower annually. West Fife & Kinross   flats  in  Edinburgh  hotspots,  perhaps  due  to
                                            Edinburgh’s  average  property  price           boasted  the  fastest-selling  properties,  going   rising numbers of landlords deciding to exit the
       Dunfermline  secured  the  highest  volumes   declined  4%  to  £289,363,  while  one-  under offer in 19 days. By contrast, properties   rental market and offload their properties in
       of  property  sales,  however  levels  were  down     bedroom  flats  in  Dunfermline  presented   in  West  Lothian  took  the  longest  to  sell,  at    response to ongoing legislation around rental
       10.5%  on  the  previous  year.  Leith  was  the     the  most  affordable  opportunity,  selling   36 days.              rates, leading to an influx of first-time buyer-
       second  most-popular  place  to  buy,  where   for £110,685 on average.                                                   friendly homes coming on to the market. The
       volumes soared 18%. This was overshadowed by                                         In Edinburgh, properties in the East were the   average selling price has declined overall, but
       third-place Corstorphine, where sales rocketed   Sellers  were  very  active  in  the  market;   quickest to sell, taking 19 days, although one-  as with our previous report, if we look past the
       38% annually.                        new  property  insertions  increased  by        bed flats in the Easter Road area sold in as little   headline  figures,  we  can  clearly  see  reasons
                                            14%.  Unsurprisingly,  Dunfermline,  Leith      as nine days, suggesting a high volume of first-  for this that should reassure homeowners that
       Two-bedroom  flats  in  Leith  were  the  biggest   and  Corstorphine  generated  the  most   time buyers coming to the market.  there  hasn’t  been  a  wide-ranging  decline  in
       sellers,  up  16%  year-on-year.  Gorgie  has   property  listings,  rising  by  19%,  17%  and                           property values.
       long  been  touted  as  an  up-and-coming   24% respectively.                        Buyers  took  advantage  of  the  high  levels
       neighbourhood, and it was increasingly popular                                       of  competition  in  the  market,  as  they  made   “Our  latest  report  also  indicates  an  increase
       with  buyers:  sales  of  one-bedroom  flats  in   Two-bedroom  flats  in  Leith  were  the   increasingly  savvy  bids  to  secure  properties.   in  seller  confidence  in  the  market,  which  is
       Gorgie  rose  by  83%  -  unsurprising  given  this   most commonly listed, followed by three-  Properties attained 102% of their Home Report   again  welcome  news  to  help  reinvigorate
       is  the  Capital’s  most  affordable  property  type,   bedroom houses in Dunfermline.  valuations,  down  3  percentage  points  on  the   proceedings. There’s been a healthy increase
       selling for £148,518 on average.                                                     same time the previous year.         in  property  listings,  which  is  great  news
                                                                                                                                 for  buyers  too.  We  can  see  the  effects  of
                                                                                            20% of properties went to a closing date, down   rising  numbers  of  properties  coming  on  to
                                                                                            from 26%.                            the  market  –  fewer  closing  dates  and  lower
         Key points  £271,106                                                               What does it mean for the property   important to remember that this isn’t negative
                                                                                                                                 overbids  are  all  examples  of  this  –  but  it’s
                                                                                                                                 news  for  sellers,  who  can  also  reap  the
                                                                                            market?
              average selling price
                                                                                                                                 benefits  in  their  onward  property  purchases.
                                                                                            Paul  Hilton,  CEO  of  ESPC,  said:  “November-
              Prices declined 4.4% annually during November-January.
                                                                                            January  is  typically  a  much  quieter  time  for
                                                                                                                                 for offers over, rather than a fixed price, also
                                                                                            the property market, however, it’s clear to see   An increase in the volume of properties listed
                                                                                            that this wasn’t the case this time. The market   demonstrates  confidence  and  optimism  in
              102%                            24 days                                       appears steady overall, and all the signs point   the market once again.
                                                                                            to  increasing  numbers  of  first-time  buyers
              average percentage of Home      median time to sell                           coming into the market, which is very welcome   “If  you’re  thinking  of  buying  or  selling  a
              Report valuation achieved
                                                                                            news  after  a  very  difficult  period  financially   property  in  Edinburgh,  the  Lothians,  Fife,  or
              3 percentage points lower than   Five days slower than the same time          for many in their position. There has been a   the Borders, contact your local ESPC solicitor
              last year, good news for buyers.  last year.                                  significant increase in the available options for   estate agent today.”

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