New research has revealed Scottish house prices have fallen for the first time in eight months.
According to new data released by Your Move, average property prices fell 1% from January, the first monthly dip since June 2015.
With the average price for a house now £168,020, the figures come despite a strong February which saw a 19% rise in home sales since 2008.
However, factors such as the upcoming elections and uncertainty around the EU referendum are thought to have slowed down the top-end of the market.
Christine Bell, MD of Your Move in Scotland, said: "Scottish house prices have taken a small stumble in February, with the value of a typical home falling by 1% (£1,688) month-on-month. The sudden dip in prices will be a welcome reprieve for those attempting to get their foot on the property ladder, as this is the first decline in Scotland’s home values seen in eight months."
While house prices are also down compared to the same period last year, Ms Bell said this has been caused by the introduction of the Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) at the beginning of 2015.
"With a flurry of buy-to-let and second-home buyers racing to avoid higher rates of LBTT after 1st April, sales in February are up 19% year-on-year," she said.
"This impetus also meant that purchase activity was concentrated at the lower end of the market – with aspiring landlords snapping up affordable options.
"We can see evidence of this in Edinburgh and Glasgow, where sales of flats – a popular investment choice – have soared in the three months to February 2016. But at the same time, there has been a slowdown at the top-end of the market due to uncertainty surrounding the upcoming Scottish Parliament election and EU referendum, particularly among foreign buyers.
"This imbalance between the volume of cheaper and more expensive property sales is skewing the overall measure of price growth, and tipping it downwards."
(LM)
Time and date
CONSTRUCTION DIRECTORY
Construction News
21/04/2016
Scottish House Prices Fall For The First Time Eight Months
Latest Construction News
15/11/2024
A major milestone has been reached in the UK's transition to a greener energy future. Ofgem has approved the Eastern Green Link 1 project, a £2.5 billion investment that will see the installation of a 196km subsea electricity cable between Scotland and England. The project, a joint venture between ...
15/11/2024
Falkirk Council has secured a £100 million Growth Deal that is expected to create 1,660 jobs and generate £628 million in economic benefits for the area. The Deal, signed by the UK and Scottish Governments, will fund 11 projects, including: • A Carbon Dioxide Utilisation Centre • A Bioeconomy ...
15/11/2024
The Scottish Plant Owners Association (SPOA) has raised concerns that the measures announced in the Autumn Budget could lead to the demise of the plant hire industry in Scotland. The association argues that the increased tax burden and other economic pressures will have a significant negative ...
15/11/2024
Maxi Construction has been awarded a £1.6 million contract by The City of Edinburgh Council to replace the Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) roof at Pentland Primary School. The phased project will involve the removal of existing roof coverings and ceilings, the replacement of RAAC ...
15/11/2024
Clark Contracts has been awarded a contract to retrofit Scotland's National Retrofit Centre at BE-ST's Innovation Campus. The project aims to transform the building into a living laboratory, showcasing best practices in non-domestic retrofit. The ambitious project will involve a range of ...
15/11/2024
The Scottish Government has announced plans to bypass the villages of Springholm and Crocketford on the A75, a key route linking Scotland to Ireland. Jacobs UK Ltd has been awarded a contract to undertake initial design and assessment work for the bypass. The project is funded by the UK ...
15/11/2024
Dundee City Council has secured a £693,383 grant from the Scottish Government's Recycling Improvement Fund to upgrade its recycling facilities at Baldovie and Riverside. The funding will be used to purchase new waste management equipment, such as roll packers and compactors, to improve efficiency ...
15/11/2024
Homes for Good and Glasgow Credit Union have formed a partnership to address housing inequality in Glasgow and neighbouring areas. Glasgow Credit Union has provided a £2.4 million loan to Homes for Good, which will be used to purchase up to 35 homes for low-income individuals and families. The ...
15/11/2024
The historic Troon station has reopened following a £5m restoration project. The station was extensively damaged by a fire in 2021. Network Rail, in partnership with AmcoGiffen and CPMS, undertook the rebuild, which included the restoration of the station's iconic façade while incorporating modern ...
15/11/2024
BEAR Scotland, on behalf of Transport Scotland, is undertaking emergency works on the A828 between Ledaig and Benderloch to address a safety concern related to a deteriorating rock face. Recent monitoring has identified a fractured rock mass 60 metres above the road, requiring urgent attention. To ...