The market survey reports a net balance of 55% of Scottish respondents anticipating sales to increase over the next three months, while a net balance of 10% anticipated that prices will continue rising through the last quarter of the year.

According to the survey, this comes after a largely unpromising few months in activity. 

A net balance of -2% of Scottish respondents reported that new instructions to sell dropped, and a net balance of -18% reported that newly agreed sales had decreased, in the September report. 

This mirrors the UK-wide picture for September, where anticipations of an increase in interest rates prompted a decreased level of agreed sales last month.

But in Scotland, underlying demand seemed to be relatively strong, even if this has not prompted a rise in agreed sales. 

A net balance of 36% of Scottish respondents said that there was an increase in the amount of new buyer enquiries in September, showing a rise from the net balance reported in the survey from August. 

A net balance of 13% of Scottish respondents reported that prices increased over the past three months - an increase from the net balance of 6% reported in the August survey. 

Jake Shaw-Tan MRICS of Goose & Co Property in Ayrshire said: “The market in Ayrshire for distinctive property remains strong with many buyers seeking family homes. 

“Where property is priced sensibly and presented well, we are seeing good results being achieved.”

Marion Currie, ASSOCRICS, of Galbraith in Dumfries & Galloway said: “September saw a general quietening. 

“But this ties in with the usual market in Dumfries and Galloway for the time of year.”

Currie added: “Price reductions have seen stalled properties find success, leading to a more cautious approach with new listings.”

Concerning the rental market, Grant Robertson FRICS of Allied Surveyors Scotland Ltd in Glasgow said: “The rental market remains soft with rents achieved often at or often below levels set sometimes some years ago.

“Supply, however, remains constricted as landlords continue to exit an overregulated market with restricting tax advantages and increasing lending rates.”

Discussing the UK-wide picture, RICS head of Market Research and Analysis, Tarrant Parsons, said: “A renewed rise in interest rate expectations has created a fresh headwind for the housing market, with buyers becoming a little more cautious and sales activity losing some momentum this month. 

“Even so, the latest results do not point to any significant shift in direction.”

Parsons added: “Rather, they suggest the market may need to contend with a somewhat longer period of subdued activity as households adjust to the prospect of borrowing costs remaining higher than previously anticipated.”