Lifestyle buyers competing for rural properties

Property sales in Perthshire, Kinross-shire and Angus held strong at the end of last year, with lifestyle buyers driving competition for rural properties. 

The news comes from property consultancy Galbraith, which has published its latest report into the Perthshire market, covering the fourth quarter of 2018, ending 31 December.

The total number of property sales completed by Galbraith in Perth this quarter (Oct – Dec 2018) rose by 25% in comparison to the previous three months of 2018 and were also up 67% year on year. The team in Perth also brought more properties to the market during this period, up almost 10% compared to a year ago.

Increased buyer activity has also continued with twice as many prospective buyers registering with Galbraith in Perth over the Oct – Dec period of 2018 compared to 2017.

The property portfolio handled by Galbraith in Perth ranges from cottages to country houses, farms and estates to fishings, small holdings and bare land. Buyers in the area are not only local and from the rest of Scotland but also from south of the border and abroad who are attracted to the area’s lifestyle offerings and the quality of property they can obtain for their money.

Interestingly, this quarter 60% of buyers were Scottish, 35% were from the rest of the UK and the remaining 5% were international buyers. In the previous quarter all the buyers secured by Galbraith in the Perthshire area were Scottish, demonstrating an ever evolving and changing property market. 

Emma Chalmers, partner and head of agency for Galbraith in Perth said: ‘Perthshire, Kinross-shire and Angus continue to be highly sought after by lifestyle property buyers as they offer wonderful scenic rural living within an easy commute to various cities.

 ‘Houses with land continue to be ever popular together with estates and farms. The traditional country cottage is always desired and as such attracts a high level of competition when launched to the open market. In order to achieve a good level of interest and ultimately result in a successful sale figure, realistic pricing is essential together with professionally prepared property literature and high-quality images.’