Edinburgh 'will counter downward house price trend'

Edinburgh is set to defy the UK-wide trend for falling house prices over the next year, as homeowners in the Scottish capital see continued appreciation.

According to the Evening News, anyone looking to buy a house in Edinburgh might be well advised to make the change sooner rather than later, given that prices are set to continue increasing.

Estate agents in Scotland believe that, rather than the "massive" price increases of recent months, 2008 is set to see a steady rise in home values north of the border – news likely to be welcomed by those intending to sell a house in central Scotland.

Scott Brown, a partner with Warners Estate Agency, told the publication: "I think we’ll see a growth of between one and four per cent in Edinburgh and Lothians – a steady-as-she-goes figure and one that reinstalls a sense of calm."

Meanwhile, recent analysis by mortgage lender Halifax suggested that Scotland and the south-east of England would be the two areas most likely to gain in the coming months, with Montrose taking the top spot for rising values.