Scottish house prices outstrip UK average in August

Scottish house prices rose faster than the UK as a whole in the year to August, according to a report.

Official house sales data showed the average price of a property in Scotland was £153,309 - 4.1% higher than in August 2017.

Across the UK, the average cost of a home was £232,800, an increase of 3.2% on the previous year.

On a month-to-month basis, prices in Scotland rose by 0.3% in August, compared with a UK increase of 0.2%.

The figures were included in the latest UK House Price Index (UK HPI).

All but four of Scotland's 32 local authorities recorded year-on-year average price increases in August.

The biggest increases were recorded in West Dunbartonshire, where prices rose by 11.9% to nearly £110,867, and Inverclyde, which saw prices increase by 9.8% to £112,550.

The largest falls were in City of Aberdeen (down by 4% to just over £161,000) Aberdeenshire (down by 2.5% to £188,426) and Scottish Borders (down by 2.5% to £152,576).

Across Scotland, all property types showed a year-on-year increase in average price.

Semi-detached homes showed the biggest rise, climbing by 6% to £160,535. Detached properties showed the smallest increase - up by 3.2% to £262,175.

Meanwhile, residential sales volumes fell year-on-year by 4.3% in June, to 10,419. Much greater falls were recorded across the rest of the UK.