Local property market is cooling but Edinburgh holds steady as we head into winter, says leading property portal

ESPC, the leading Scottish property portal, has published its latest House Price Report for the months of August-October 2026, which reveals a cooling market and fewer property sales throughout Edinburgh, the Lothians, Fife and the Borders, alongside a stalling in price growth overall.

These latest figures are likely to be in response to growing market pressures affecting buyers' ability to progress on their property journeys. With rising energy bills, a continuing backdrop of financial uncertainty and instability globally, plus an increase in the base rate predicted to come into force this week, it's certainly a tough environment for buyers and this latest Report highlights that starkly.

Throughout the regions, sales volumes declined by 10.4% compared to the same time last year, indicating a substantial shift in the ability of buyers to progress with a purchase. By contrast, there was only a minor decline of 0.6 percentage points in property insertions, suggesting that sellers are pushing on with plans to move, despite overall economic circumstances.

One of the clearest indicators of optimism and drive from sellers was a significant growth in the volume of properties listed using the 'offers over' marketing method, which was more than 7% higher than at the same time last year. Likely enhanced by the pressures on the next step and sellers needing to secure the highest possible price for their properties, this contrasts with a 2.8 percentage points drop in the number of closing dates set, one of the clearest signs of reduced pressure on buyers.

Price growth stalled, with the average selling price remaining at £296,731 - although looking at the regions individually, some areas saw healthier increases in price, including Midlothian, where average property prices rose by 3.8% year-on-year, leading the area to its highest selling price for the August-October period since ESPC began reporting on property prices 20 years ago, at £279,471.

Despite this overall picture of caution and hesitancy, the market in Edinburgh held steady. After a quieter summer, prices have recovered well and are holding level with the figures seen in August-October 2025, which should be reassuring news for buyers and sellers alike. The year to date has seen much fluctuation in the capital's property market, with prices dipping and climbing throughout the seasons to reach today's settled point of £314,200, which is almost exactly the same as the level seen last autumn, and the third highest August-October figure on record, behind 2022 and 2025. While the East, North and centre of the city experienced modest declines in prices, other areas including the South West of Edinburgh saw average selling prices rise by as much as 8.9%, counterbalancing the activity across the capital.

Some areas of Edinburgh seemed to be especially in-demand, with two-bed flats in Leith remaining the top-selling property - although sales volumes were almost 20% down on the same time last year - while three-bedroom houses in Corstorphine were the quickest sellers, going under offer in just 11 days (17 days faster than in August-October 2025).

Paul Hilton, CEO of ESPC, commented: "We have seen a growing trend of buyer caution and hesitancy over the past few months, and as we head into the traditionally quieter winter months, this scenario is not unexpected. The current financial climate is undoubtedly making things trickier for those either wanting to step onto the property ladder or progress to a larger property, but for those who are able to make the move, there are opportunities to be had in a slower market, with less competition and more options to choose from. We're still seeing clear demand for certain types of property, especially those with more longevity, such as two-bed flats or three-bed houses, and buyers who are acting swiftly and decisively to secure their ideal home. Even with a predicted rise in the base rate on the cards, there are still reasons to be optimistic and still signs of the market holding steady, especially in Edinburgh where demand tends to remain at healthy levels no matter the wider picture."

For more information, visit espc.com.