Sales handled by the Kelso office for the first three quarters of the year are 13 per cent up on the same period in 2023, demonstrating the return of positivity to the market this year, with almost £10m of property available through the firm’s Scottish Borders office at any given time.

The average premium achieved of 8 per cent above the asking price in the past quarter (1 June to 30 September) was also significantly above the average premium of 2.5 per cent paid by buyers in the same period in 2023. As always, the average figure contains variations, as properties with land, offering a desirable rural lifestyle, are far more in demand than properties without land.

Susan Guthrie, an Associate with Galbraith in the Scottish Borders said: “The property market remains positive, with well-motivated buyers who are attracted to the beauty and history of the region. The range of property on offer in the Scottish Borders offers a wide variety of choice, with easy access to beautiful scenery and good transport connections to Edinburgh. There have been some really good sales achieved for the most desirable properties.”

The beauty of the region, with its superb coastline, attractive market towns, rolling hills and proximity to Edinburgh attracts house-hunters looking to achieve a better work-life balance.

Susan Guthrie continued: “Well-presented rural homes in an attractive location will always attract a good degree of interest, as long as they are accurately priced. The key for sellers is to take your agent’s advice from the outset.”

The availability of property to sell has also improved, after a subdued 2023. Galbraith has 606 properties currently on the market across Scotland and northern England, about 23 per cent higher than during the same period last year. Property sales for 2024 are expected to exceed the figure for 2023.

In addition to lifestyle factors, a favourable EPC rating can also boost a sale by a significant margin, Galbraith reports. Energy efficient properties are currently popular with buyers seeking to reduce the cost of their energy bills and minimize their carbon footprint.

Currently on the market, Alderybar near Hawick is ‘B’ rated for energy efficiency, due to an array of 20 solar PV panels, with the capacity to produce in excess of 7kW of power. The property offers beautiful views and an incredibly peaceful location, sitting amongst deciduous woodland on the north side of Skelfhill Pen. It also benefits from fibre broadband of 1,000 megabits per second.

The Kelso sales team of Susan Guthrie, Kathleen McIntee and Polly Cregan have over 40 years’ combined experience in the property market in the Scottish Borders.