Highland house sales boom 'continues'
ANOTHER major estate agency has reported a boom in house sales in the Highlands.
Property consultancy, CKD Galbraith, said there had been a “healthy level of residential sales and buyer activity across the Highlands” during the final three months of 2016 followed by a “significant increase in activity” in January and February.
Its Inverness office reported a 23 per cent rise in the number of property viewings in the final three months compared to the same period in 2015.
The office also had a particularly active January with 87 viewings and 156 prospective buyer registrations.
The news follows reports from Highland Solicitors Property Centre (HSPC) that it had seen a 44 per cent year-on-year increase in house sales in January.
And Gregor Simpson, a partner with Shepherd Chartered Surveyors, singled out a range of housing developments currently underway as evidence that demand for new housing is as high as ever, including the Essich Meadows site being created by Kirkwood Homes in Culduthel where all 15 luxury homes sold out within five weeks of being released for sale.
Phiddy Robertson, head of residential sales at CKD Galbraith’s Inverness office, said its own figures were also good: “We experienced a steady level of sales throughout the final months of 2016 but recorded a significant increase in buyer activity during the first five weeks of 2017.
“Whilst the winter months have traditionally been held as a less favourable time to sell, there appears to be a change in buyer behaviour and sellers are now benefitting from a twelve month market so shouldn’t wait until the spring months to start marketing their properties when competition in the area will be higher. The Highlands attract buyers from across the whole of the UK. During the fourth quarter of 2016 national buyers accounted for 67 per cent of all sales in region.
“Homeowners often move to the Highlands to take advantage of the fantastic value for money property here offers as well as the unrivalled lifestyle opportunities. The second home market continues to thrive with interest coming from buyers as far as Canada.”
CKD Galbraith operates a network of regional offices across Scotland and figures for the firm as a whole during the last quarter of 2016 showed a rise in sales of 17 per cent compared to the same period in 2015, with 12 per cent more properties being brought to the open market and 18 per cent more viewings conducted.
It also handled more than £9.5 million worth of property sales and conducted 760 viewings in January.
