While there is healthy demand for estates throughout Scotland, John Bound, a partner in our Inverness office, says demand for sporting estates in the Highlands is at present particularly strong.    

We have had an active year at the forefront of buying and selling in the Scottish estates market selling some of the most spectacular estates in the Highlands. 

Aberarder Estate, a wonderful mixed sporting estate at the head of Strathnairn, just 15 miles south of Inverness and extending to some 10,000 acres, was sold privately by CKD to a business man from the south.

Ledgowan Estate near Achnasheen is a true jewel' in the Highlands, renowned for its superb deer stalking and extending to some 12,000 acres and was sold to an existing land owner from the central belt.

Acting as buying agents, CKD Galbraith also purchased the 3,200-acre Leys Castle Estate, a well known agricultural and residential property on the southern outskirts of Inverness centred round Leys Castle. This was purchased by a local buyer in Inverness for whom the firm also acted successfully over the purchase of Garanahyne Estate on the Isle of Lewis. A property that offers a wealth of sport from salmon and trout fishing, driven woodcock, grouse & wildfowl shooting as well as red deer stalking.

With the value of the sporting estates market up strongly this year, the recession doesn't appear  to have had a marked effect on the demand that CKD Galbraith has been experiencing for traditional sporting estates.

John Bound said: "It's no surprise that the demand for Scottish Highland estates remains robust and the Highlands of course boast some of the most spectacular sporting estates around, with rich areas of deer stalking, some of the most famous salmon fishing in the country and fine grouse moors, many of which have experienced record bags in 2010. It is the quality of the sport in the Scottish Highlands that underpins the interest and at present demand for good quality estates coming to the market outstrips supply. 

"As a firm we have handled the majority of sporting estate sales in Scotland over the last two years, with a good number of these being completed privately without the need to generate open market sales thus providing a discreet service that is highly regarded in the exclusive estates market.

"Our assessment of the market is that it has been relatively stable, not recession proof by any means but estates are not subject to quite the same price sensitivity that is experienced in the residential property market. You seldom see an estate being marketed at a knock down price and there is still a lot of money at the top end of the market.

"Discerning buyers still regard sporting estates as a sound, long term investment which also provide an enormous amount of pleasure and which also contribute hugely in financial terms to fragile, rural communities."

We have buyers from both home and abroad, seeking the Scottish Highland dream. If you would like to discuss any aspect of our farm and estate sales, please do not hesitate to contact one of our 12 offices situated throughout Scotland.