Scottish property portal ESPC have said that Edinburgh's housing market has showed signs of slowing down during the period from November 2021 to 2022.
They said that there had been 'a clear separation' in the level of demand for family homes in the suburbs versus city centre properties, with West Lothian particularly sought after.
Demand for family homes in the suburbs increased at a faster rate than for city centre properties.
The latest House Price Report from ESPC revealed an increasing interest for out-of-town properties among buyers.
The report looks at the property market across Edinburgh, the Lothians, Fife and the Borders during the period November 2021 to January 2022.
It found the market had remained buoyant during the traditionally quiet period with signs of growth, despite a levelling off after the raised interest following lockdown.
Out-of-town areas across the Lothians, Fife and the Borders remained popular even during the quieter months.
The average price of homes in West Lothian saw the biggest increase at 37.6 per cent - with the average selling price £292,394, compared to £212,426 twelve months prior.
The average selling price of property in Edinburgh, the Lothians, Fife and the Borders saw a 2.3 per cent rise over the three months.
And the average price of a home was £271,13 - a rise from £264,938 the year before.
Prices in the south western suburbs of the capital experienced a 17.6 per cent increase to £400,816 - but in the city centre they decreased by 5.1 per cent to £324,127.
The price of three-bedroom houses in Currie, Balerno and Juniper Green increased but bedroom flats in the New Town and West End, and in Portobello and Joppa declined.
Properties also sold faster, with the biggest demand for suburban family homes.
The quickest-selling property type was three-bedroom houses in Gorebridge, Midlothian where median selling times dropped by 10 days to just seven days.
The biggest change was seen in East Fife, where homes sold in 14 days - 22 days faster than the same time last year.
Edinburgh saw its median selling time rise by one day to 20 days.
Paul Hilton, CEO of ESPC, said: "The three months of November-January are typically a slower period for the property market, but across Edinburgh, the Lothians, Fife and the Borders it has remained buoyant on the whole.
"It's been a quieter time as we would expect, but there have been positive signs of growth in comparison to the year before, when the market was affected by lockdowns and heightened competition.
"The market has seen lower sales volumes overall, and modest price increases on the whole, but we've seen a clear separation in the level of demand for family homes in the suburbs versus city-centre properties, with homes in Edinburgh's south west and West Lothian becoming particularly sought-after.
"There's promising signs of more first-time buyers stepping onto the market, with a rise in demand for flats in the likes of Abbeyhill, Meadowbank and Leith, where properties are traditionally more affordable but offer a vibrant, exciting place to call home.
"Overall, Edinburgh's market has seen signs of slowing down over this period, but out-of-town areas across the Lothians, Fife and the Borders have remained popular even during the typically quieter months."
