THE enduring appeal of Stirling’s outdoor lifestyle has continued to boost confidence in the local property market with national buyers in particular attracted to the region and keen to secure a sizable portion of land, according to CKD Galbraith, Scotland’s leading independent property consultancy.

Over the last quarter (July – September) the firm’s Stirling office has witnessed a real surge in interest for small-holdings and equestrian properties with a minimum of five acres of land and have handled the largest number of property sales with competitive closing dates.

The team are also seeing a mix of buyers looking for new builds, plots of land for development opportunities as well as character properties and premises with a commercial offering, including properties that would lend themselves well as wedding venues.

Jennifer Campbell, head of sales at CKD Galbraith’s Stirling office, said: “Stirlingshire and the wider-central Scotland belt continues to attract national interest from buyers seeking rural properties which offer a slice of the good life. We have been experiencing interest from the family market, active retirees and young professionals who are all drawn to the city and its many surrounding established rural villages, as well as the rugged and varied landscapes, ideal for outdoor enthusiasts from walking and cycling to water sports and fishing.

“Demand has remained high for properties at all price points, however there is a lack of stock coming onto the market and we would urge sellers not to hold off marketing over the winter months as the market is proving to be extremely competitive and there are serious buyers out there willing to act fast to secure the right property.”

Stirling, and the surrounding central belt of Scotland, has always offered house hunters the perfect combination of a historical and picturesque region in which to live but still within easy commuting distance to Edinburgh, Glasgow and Perth.

Registers of Scotland’s Quarterly House Price Statistics report reflects CKD Galbraith’s findings and has reported that the average residential property price in Stirling from July to September has increase by 2.9 per cent compared to last year. The volume of property sales in the region has also risen by an impressive 14.5 per cent compared to the same quarter the previous year.

The Residential Agency in Stirling recently sold Wetshod, a three bedroomed farmhouse located in a charming position in rural central Scotland which benefited from 33 acres of land. This property attracted a significant amount of interest and within three weeks of coming onto the market achieved an offer well in excess of the asking price.

CKD Galbraith operates a network of regional offices located throughout the country and figures for the firm as a whole during the third quarter of 2016 illustrates its ability to market and sell high quality houses drawing buyers from across the UK and beyond.

The firm has reported a 30 per cent increase in the volume of sales achieved compared to the previous quarter of 2016. Local buyers from across Scotland accounted for 58% of sales during the third quarter, whilst 37per cent came from across the rest of the UK and 5 per cent were international buyers.