First-time buyers are to be offered loans of up to £25,000 to help those trying to get on the property ladder to pay the deposits on their first property, Nicola Sturgeon announced at the SNP conference this month.

During 2018, there were 34,519 first-time buyers in Scotland; a rise of 56 per cent from the 22,100 recorded ten years ago, according to recent research. Up from 37 per cent in 2008, first-time buyers now make up 50 per cent of all house purchases with a mortgage in Scotland, the Bank of Scotland data reveals.

A recent survey of more than 1,000 individuals revealed that half of Scottish homeowners expect the value of their house to fall after Brexit, while only three per cent believed their house value would rise.

Property portal Zoopla announced that Scotland was the fastest-rising region in the UK property market, with property prices up by 6.43% since January 2018 and an average value of £195,739. Wales came second with a price jump of 3.9% to £192,362, and West Midlands followed where prices increased by 2.91% to an average property price of £220,746.

As the holiday approaches we would like to take this opportunity to inform valued clients and potential new customers of our Christmas opening hours - we will be closed from 12.00 this Friday the 21st and re-open at 9.00 on Thursday the 3rd Jan 2019.