News

The property industry reacted positively to the result of last week’s Scottish independence referendum, with many experts predicting that activity levels in the housing market north of the border will now rise in the coming weeks and months as the market returns to more normal trading conditions following the certainty provided by a ‘No’ vote.
The latest figures from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) show that there has been a slowdown in activity levels in the Scottish housing market in recent months, caused in part by the fact that some homeowners had inevitably become anxious about the prospect of a ‘Yes’ vote
Buyers and sellers who have stalled in recent months while waiting to see how the referendum plays out can now move forward with relative certainty about what lies ahead.”
Sterling also reached a two-year high against the Euro and a two-week high against the US dollar on Friday, while the FTSE 100 index also advanced in early trading, on the back of the outcome of the referendum.
The reality is that the majority of investors love certainty – now the independence issue is resolved they can plan ahead. The no vote might now result in a flurry of deals in Scotland due to greater certainty and a simple desire to get on with business as usual after a period of pent up demand
The market in Scotland is now particularly positive, with values predicted to increase by three per cent by the end of this year and by a further three to six per cent in 2015.

Reflecting on the result of the Scottish referendum, Mark Hayward (left), Managing Director of the National Association of Estate Agents, said: “With the outcome now certain and Scotland voting to remain part of the United Kingdom, we can expect to see some positive movement in the Scottish housing market - good news for Scottish estate agents and their customers who can now look forward to a less frenetic housing discussion and market.”