Average House Price Scotland - ESPC House Price Report - January 2026

Inside the Edinburgh property market

Here's how Edinburgh's market performed during November 2025 - January 2026:

• Average selling price: £312,505 (up 3.7% year-on-year)
• Time to under offer: 27 days (five days slower than last year)
• New listings: Down 6.6% compared to the same period last year
• Sales volumes: Down 13.3% year-on-year

Sales slow but prices remain resilient

Edinburgh’s housing market saw a noticeable cooling in activity over the winter period, with sales volumes falling year-on-year and new listings also declining. Despite this, average selling prices continued to rise, showing the market remains supported by underlying demand. The increase in selling times suggests buyers are taking longer to commit, creating a more measured and balanced marketplace compared to previous years.

Suburban family markets gain momentum

Demand for family homes strengthened in several suburban and commuter areas. South Queensferry recorded a notable rise in both transaction levels and average selling prices, highlighting growing buyer interest in locations offering more space and lifestyle value. Liberton also performed strongly, showing significant price growth alongside steady sales activity, suggesting buyers are increasingly willing to look beyond central neighbourhoods.

Central locations remain stable but more price-sensitive

Traditionally strong central markets such as Corstorphine and Polwarth continued to achieve healthy price growth, but transaction volumes softened and selling times lengthened. This indicates that while demand remains present, buyers are becoming more selective and price-conscious, particularly for higher-value properties.

Competitive bidding eases across the market

The proportion of homes achieving closing dates and significantly exceeding Home Report valuation declined slightly. Most properties still achieved or slightly exceeded valuation, but reduced competition suggests buyers now have greater negotiating power, reflecting a market transitioning towards greater stability as it moves into 2026.

Inside the East Lothian property market

Here's how East Lothian's market performed during November 2025 - January 2026:

• Average selling price: £287,797 (up 3.3% year-on-year)
• Time to under offer: 26 days (no change compared to last year)
• New listings: Down 2.3% compared to the same period in 2024
• Sales volumes: Up 7.3% year-on-year

What’s selling in East Lothian?

Three-bedroom houses were among the highest-volume sellers across the region, reflecting sustained demand from upsizers and buyers seeking more space. That said, flats still mattered, particularly in more urbanised towns such as Musselburgh.

Musselburgh drives activity

Musselburgh continued to lead the way, accounting for the largest share of both listings and sales. Two-bedroom flats in Musselburgh were the most popular flat type, selling at an average of £196,739, while three-bedroom houses also saw strong turnover. Its relative affordability and strong transport links continue to underpin demand.

Where buyers are finding value

Affordability remains a key draw in East Lothian. One-bedroom flats in Musselburgh, with average prices around £147,000, stood out as some of the most accessible options for first-time buyers and investors, even as overall volumes softened slightly.

East Lothian’s fastest-selling homes

At the premium end, four-bedroom houses in Dunbar were among the quickest to sell, typically going under offer in just two weeks. This highlights strong demand for well-located coastal family homes, even at higher price points.

Inside the Midlothian property market

Here's how Midlothian's market performed during November 2025 - January 2026:

• Average selling price: £287,508 (up 9.5% year-on-year)
• Time to under offer: 28 days (seven days slower than last year)
• Average percentage of Home Report valuation achieved: 100.6% (down 0.5 percentage points)

Prices and sales volumes continue to climb

Average selling prices in Midlothian rose to £287,508, up strongly year-on-year, while the number of properties sold between November 2025 and January increased by 11.8%. However, new listings were down 11.4% year-on-year.

Bonnyrigg and Penicuik drive Midlothian’s fastest sales

Midlothian’s quickest property sales were centred in Bonnyrigg and Penicuik. Two-bedroom houses in Bonnyrigg and three-bedroom houses in Penicuik typically went under offer in about three weeks. Bonnyrigg recorded most sales and listings, with three-bedroom homes averaging at £247,393.

A more balanced pace of market

The median time to go under offer lengthened to just under 28 days, up from around 21 days last year. While homes are taking longer to attract buyers, most properties are still selling within a month, pointing to a market that is active but no longer rushed.

Competition eases, but remains healthy

Competitive pressure has softened slightly. The share of homes selling at or above Home Report valuation dipped to 73.7%, while the average percentage of Home Report achieved eased to 100.6%. Closing dates became less common, reinforcing the sense of a more balanced market where pricing and presentation matter more than urgency.

Inside the West Fife & Kinross property market

Here's how West Fife & Kinross's market performed during November 2025 - January 2026:

• Average selling price: £227137 (down 3.1% year-on-year)
• Sales volumes: Down 15.2% on last year
• New listings: Down 3.4% compared to the previous year
• Time to under offer: 16 days (fastest of all regions)

What’s selling in West Fife & Kinross?

The market in West Fife & Kinross is firmly house-led, with family homes accounting for the majority of sales. Three-bedroom houses were the most common property type sold, reflecting sustained demand from upsizers and buyers seeking space and value. While overall sales volumes dipped year-on-year, activity remained healthy for well-priced homes.

Dunfermline anchors the market

Dunfermline continued to dominate sales activity, reinforcing its role as the region’s key housing hub. Three-bedroom houses in Dunfermline were among the most frequently sold properties, with the average prices sitting at £227,915. Strong transport links and a broad range of housing stock continue to underpin demand in the city.

Stable competition amid slower volumes

Although transaction levels have slowed, competition remains solid. 81.8% of properties sold at or above Home Report valuation, with the average percentage of Home Report valuation attained reaching 103.1%. Median time to go under offer rose to around 16 days (one day slower year-on-year), and fewer homes sold on closing date, indicating a more measured yet still competitive market, especially for family homes in desirable areas.

Offers Over becomes the dominant strategy

The share of West Fife properties listed as Offers Over rose sharply year-on-year, from 87.5% to 96.5%, highlighting growing seller confidence despite softer sales volumes. The shift reflects a continued focus on competitive pricing to generate interest, while leaving scope for negotiation in a more balanced market.

Inside the East Fife property market

Here's how East Fife's market performed during November 2025 - January 2026:

• Average selling price: £322,049 (up 23.5% year-on-year)
• Median time to under offer: 49 days (eleven days slower than last year)
• Buyer incentives: Homes achieved 98.3% of Home Report valuation on average

What’s driving prices in East Fife?

Price growth in East Fife is being driven less by competition and more by the mix of homes selling. A higher proportion of detached and larger family houses sold during the period, helping to lift the average selling price to £322,049, even as overall sales volumes remained modest.

How fast are homes selling?

The pace of the market has clearly cooled. The median time to go under offer stretched to 49 days, up markedly year-on-year. This indicates buyers are taking longer to commit, with fewer urgency-driven decisions and more time spent negotiating price and terms.

Home Report valuation performance

Homes are no longer routinely exceeding valuation. The average percentage of Home Report achieved fell to 98.3%, with fewer than half of properties selling at or above valuation. This points to a market that is more balanced, where accurate pricing is increasingly important to avoid prolonged marketing periods.

Cupar stands out

Cupar emerged as one of East Fife’s stronger-performing towns, combining relatively healthy transaction volumes with better-than-average price resilience. Homes in Cupar were more likely to sell close to Home Report value and tended to go under offer faster than the wider East Fife average, reflecting sustained demand driven by amenities, transport links and family-sized housing stock.

Inside the West Lothian property market

Here's how West Lothian's market performed during November 2025 - January 2026:

• Average selling price: £278,395 (up 16.7% year-on-year)
• Sales & listing: Up 6.7% and 16.4% respectively
• Time to under offer: 28 days (two days slower than last year)

Prices surged as sales volumes increased

West Lothian’s average selling price jumped to £278,395, a sharp increase year-on-year of 16.7%, at the same time sales volumes rose by 6.7%. This points to price growth being driven by the type of homes selling, evidenced by an increase in larger houses being snapped up in key towns such as Livingston and East Calder.

Homes are taking slightly longer to secure an offer

The median time to go under offer increased to 28 days, two days slower than the previous year. While still relatively quick by historical standards, this indicates a more measured pace compared to the urgency seen in earlier periods in West Lothian.

Home Report performance has softened slightly

The average percentage of Home Report valuation achieved dipped to 99.4%, and fewer homes are now exceeding valuation. Buyers are negotiating more firmly, particularly where pricing is ambitious. Despite this softening, nearly 70% of properties sold at or above Home Report value, highlighting continued resilience for correctly priced homes in good locations.

Inside the Scottish Borders property market

Here's how Scottish Borders' market performed during November 2025 - January 2026:

• Average selling price: £238,714 (up 5.6% year-on-year)
• Homes meeting or exceeding Home Report valuation: 71.8% (up 17.5 percentage points)
• Median time to under offer: 23days (thirteen days quicker year-on-year)

Strong performance continues in Galashiels

Galashiels remained a top performer, driven by strong demand for two-bedroom flats, which reached an average price of £105,654 - a 12.9% increase compared with the previous year. The town’s three-bedroom houses proved popular with growing families and second-time buyers, pushing the average price up to £209,833, marking a significant 30.7% year-on-year rise.

Peebles holds position at the premium end

Peebles continues to lead the Borders’ higher-value property market. Four-bedroom homes achieved average prices exceeding £441,000, appealing to buyers seeking a lifestyle move. Although transaction volumes remain lower than in other towns, activity across the mid- to upper-tier market is increasing, indicating strong buyer confidence within this segment.

A pace of the property market quickened

The median property selling time during November 2025 - January 2026 in the Scottish Borders was 23 days, which is a notable thirteen days faster year-on-year. The pace of market was particularly quick in Galashiels and Kelso, where the median selling time was just 13 days and 11 days respectively.