House prices in rural areas on the rise

House prices have increased at a lower rate in East Lothian than all but one other rural Scottish council area.

New figures from Bank of Scotland show that house prices are now 80 per cent higher in East Lothian than they were 10 years ago, at £172,638.

The rate of growth is slower than any other rural council apart from Argyll and Bute, where there had been a 65 per cent price rise, to £132,230.

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East Lothian’s figure is also slower than the Scottish average for a rural area, with a 101 per cent rise in prices to £158,823.

Nitesh Patel, housing economist at Bank of Scotland, said: “Living in the countryside is an aspiration for many homeowners, attracted by the prospect of a better quality of life, open space and a cleaner environment.

“This ideal for a life in the country has come at a cost with house prices doubling over the past decade in Scotland.”