Scottish rural property is attracting buyers from all over the globe, with a total pool of approximately £300,000,000 chasing farms and estates in Scotland. Political and legislative uncertainty slowed last year’s market, with only nine estates selling, compared to more than twice that amount in a typical year.

There are a number of lowground and sporting properties new on the market and we anticipate a greater number of sales being completed in 2015, compared with last year, with a number having already been agreed. This is proof that the appetite for Scottish estates remains unabated, particularly from foreign climes.

Shrewd buyers may consider 2015 as an opportune time to secure their properties ahead of the stronger competition that may arise. Scotland is offering terrific value for money and will need to continue to do so in the current climate to overcome any potential concerns that buyers may have. A better understanding of the Land Reform changes is helping to allay concerns from those who had been holding back.

The uncertainty posed by Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reform and poor weather restricted the volume of farmland coming on to the market in the first half of 2015, with low supply upholding values. Current values are closely linked to location, land quality and the residential weighting of the farm and there is a widening value gap between the most and least sought-after land.

Prime arable land is likely to sell for between £7,500 and £9,000 an acre, while secondary land might reach between £5,000 and £7,500. There is a shift in buyer profile with the farmland market now being driven by farmers rather than investors. Savills Research projects average UK farmland value growth of around 4% per annum over the next five years. English buyers are continuing their close interest in Scottish farmland, spurred on by the record value gap.