Will prices plummet in Scotland? At the very least we should hopefully see an end to the 20% extra that has been paid over the asking price. Chuck in inflation and I reckon we will see drops of 20-25% next year. This assumes that property prices stay stagnant and demand slows. (Not too bearish imo). Should prices drop then the scenario could be a lot worse.

I shouldn't think prices will drop - when you get all your politicians back after the election they'll all need somewhere to live!

What will happen in Scotland?

They will not do very well in the Six Nations this year. Again.




Hope this helps.

Those politicians won't return. They've gone native.

Deportation orders anyone?

If the mismatch between public services in Scotland and England is not addressed soon (e.g. NHS treatments available in Scotland but not in England, free residential care for the elderly etc.), I wouldn't be surprised to see a significant northward migration of pensioners. It won't be as easy an option for those of working age (e.g. wanting to take advantage of no university fees for their kids), because the jobs won't necessarily be there. But if I was on the verge of retiring, I'd think very carefully about moving just over the border - somewhere like Langholm or Dunbar, for example. If Scotland gets an influx of OO pensioners with paid up mortgages and decent pensions, I can see HPs doing better than in the rest of the UK, assuming we're about to enter a prolonged housing market downturn. But if there is an influx of housing rich but cash poor pensioners, I can see them being a significant drain on Scottish public services. Given that the devolution settlement will not let them discriminate against incomers (i.e. it would be illegal for the Scottish Executive to ban free residential care from people who'd arrived from England after a given date), it'll be interesting to see how that prospect feeds into the independence debate.

Rural areas to get horsed because all the daft money from darn saff has dried up.

Prices will crash as soon as the government is forced to address the ridiculous extra funding situation because English tax payers riot. The situation is a joke. If the Scots want independance then fine, let them have it. We'll see how long they survive on their own. Scotland isn't viable as a standalone country as they rely too heavily on subsidies from the English. The English currently are stupid enough to subsidise them more than they do themselves. The public are slowly starting to wake up to this and sooner or later there will be an almighty backlash. I like the Scots, but the political system we've set up there is unworkable and thats central governments fault for being too right-on and providing a half arsed solution.

As for houses. Depends on how the government stuff pans out I reckon. The pensioners dash might hold prices up. Funding cuts could kill prices dead. Difficult to call.

i will be an interested follower myself to see what happens in ecosse, no price drops as of yet, however of note, the same properties been on market for months, when will be the critical moment we see reductions?

A question on Scottish house prices doesn't take long to bring out the subsidy myth does it?

How come so many people believe nothing nuLabour say except that?

More likely because dominating the Scottish seats is vital for NuLab's Westminster Parliamentary majority. If Scotland were independent then, based on the 2005 election result, the remaining UK would have a Conservative government.

Chances of this are very slim. Most pensioners in England would rather sell up and move to Spain/Portugal/Cyprus, where the climate is a lot better and heating bills v. cheap compared to Scotland.
These pensioners then move back to England when they are near to kicking the bucket to be near their families.

For pensioners who have no property, I can't really see them leaving the Brighton/ Devon etc coasts to go live on a council estate in Castlemilk or Wester Hailes

Hence the creation of the subsidy myth. In 1997 Labour thought "we'll give them devolution so they vote for us but we'll make sure they don't want to leave the union by telling everyone England subsidises them, because if they leave the union, the Tories will get in".

I see the Hibs manager John Collins has quit today, probably in order to get out of the massively over-priced Edinburgh housing market before a huge drop in prices there !!!

I lived in Moray for two years. It's a fantastic place to live if you are retired or bringing up a family - cheap property, space, really friendly community, and (wait for it) a dry climate (albeit cooler summers). Scotland does have serious social issues though - very high drink and drug abuse, teenage preganacy are all top of the league tables. A lot of this occurs in rural areas. There's lots of seriously good golf, and outdoor activitities. The Highlands are stuffed full of English retirees who seem to be having a very happy retirement.

I would certainly retire there, but when I do in 25 years, Scotland may not be enjoying the generous concessions it does at present.

The market? Oh I made a packet selling my three bed Victorian semi. I think the market will remain strong due mostly to southern incomers and a distorted public sector driven economy (about 75% of all employment). As long as we have a Caledonian Cabinet, Scotland will be safely immune from the recession (which will hit the remains of the private sector down south).

Lang may yer chimney reek.

Lots of fixed properties at the moment.

Property on sale for months.

Market not bouyant.

Some are still selling.

Some have reduced their fixed price.

Some say sold but are then re-advertised.

Some have 'new' next to them when they are infact stale with a capital S. Do they think we wouldn't notice?

None are going up in price like for like in the area that I sold in in July.

Quote Title:- "What Will Happen In Scotland?"

According to my English DH it was supposed to have been dissolved after a referendum about 10 expensive years back


Laura, Scottish. With rich aunt getting social care the English could only dream of.......(& no, it is not right).... but keeps my last inheritance intact.
(Jesus, how much longer?!! She is 90 now! )



House prices? - They will fall, but very stubbornly, & not yet. Then stay flat for a lot longer than elsewhere. .... assuming elsewhere ever does recover before the gulfstream stops

Don't worry. Scotland is completely divorced from the US or anything that might happen in England.

Nothing will ever happen in Scotland.

Thats just what Scotland needs - more pensioners.

Some countries think you need to attract young dynamic people. Fools!

Scotlands been getting rid of those young dynamic people for ages now. The plan will be complete when it corners the market in pensioners.

One thing to remember is next year HIPs will begin in Scotland and will include the surveyors valuation so that should stop bids that are way over the asking price.

Edinburgh has gone crazy since the white elephant of the Parliament was built. Destined for a big bump down to earth.

Good idea - send all the English back to Germany where they belong!

Prices in Scotland will remain bouyant simply due to the huge influx of English white flighters. Prices are also helped thanks to that deliberate policy of Labour to socially engineer the Scottsh vote by granting enhanced benefits in Scotland. Care for the elderly, removal of student fees. All part of the plan to keep the oil and strategic resources Scotland is blessed with.

Why are the Scots always so bitter and humourless? - I suppose it makes a change from bitter and humourless Englishmen.

Actually we have a great sense of homour - I mean look at Gordon Brown... England probably hasn't got the joke yet - wait a year until the country is fooked and THEN they will see the punchline

There'll still be bagpipes, caber tossing and that annual thing in Dunoon.

When england sneezes, Scotland gets a cold!

House price reductions will be a long and boring process . Its just a matter of time EA see sense and lower prices cos they are over-priced at the moment. High unemployent, housing, low wage and high volume of people on benefit doesn't make sense

High house prices started in london and moved out so it works bothways

First, let's nail the myth that Scotland is subsidised to any great extent by England and English taxpayers. If you deduct the amount of taxes raised in Scotland (including on oil/gas found in what would be Scottish waters if it became independent) from the amount of public money spent in Scotland, then there is only a small difference. An independent Scotland would be perfectly economically viable. An independent Scotland would be a small northern European country with a relatively small population and plenty of oil = Norway!

Second, property prices in Scotland aren't as transparent as in England because of the offers over system. When you see a property in England advertised for £200k you can be fairly certain that it will sell for either £200k or below. When you see a house in Scotland advertised for offers over £200k you have no idea what it will sell for. It could be 1% over or 50% over - everything depends on the market.

Right now, there are some signs that the Scottish market is cooling down, but that doesn't mean prices won't increase in 2008, it just means that they'll increase more slowly. The only properties that will fall in price are the ones that have been stupidly over-priced to a ridiculous extent. Sensibly-priced houses will continue to sell during 2008.

Don't forget the Gay Gordons.

Yes you're all right. It will never happen in Scotland. We're protected by the state.

why do people still believe in the "plateau-ing" or "cooling down" of prices without actual price drops?

it doesn't work that way after a boom, and never has.