THE PROPERTY market in Perthshire has received a welcome boost with the announcement that more than £140 million-worth of homes were sold last year.
Figures released from Perthshire Solicitors Property Centre (PSPC) show that a total of 864 homes were sold in 2012.
Staff at PSPC regard the last quarter of 2012 as being positive, with a 7.14% increase in the number of properties sold compared to the same time in 2011.
December itself saw 79 properties change hands.
In terms of hard sales, the last quarter was the best of 2012.
Reflecting on the year-end figures, PSPC manager Anne Begg said she was pleased at the present situation in Perthshire.
“As we study the 2012 statistics, we are happy with the overall picture,” she said.
“Not only has the average asking price remained on a par with last year, but 2012 has been comparable with 2011. This suggests that stability is returning to the market.”
She continued: “Peaks and troughs are unsustainable, but two consecutive years in a similar vein hopefully suggest a third steady year to come and, if that stability can continue with a slight improvement at the end of the year, we will certainly have a happy new year here at PSPC.”
The statistics mirror those recently released by property developers Savills, which showed that the final three months of 2012 were the busiest for their Perth office.
Savills claimed that “key prime” locations were being sold in Perthshire and that deals were still being done up to the approach to the Christmas holidays.
With 2013 now under way, Mrs Begg urged Perthshire residents selling their properties to be positive, but patient.
“The message to those considering selling their home in 2013 is largely similar to last year that their property will sell, but might take a little longer,” she added.
“At this time last year, we announced an expectation that the local market would remain roughly the same and that’s exactly what has happened no dramatic recovery but, likewise, no dramatic downturn.”