Scotland’s prime residential market delivered a landmark 2025, with 460 sales recorded above £1 million and 51 above £2 million – the highest number of seven-figure-plus transactions in three years – according to new data from Savills.
The figures paint a picture of a market displaying, in the agency’s own words, “remarkable stability despite wider economic caution.”
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Glasgow was the headline act. The city recorded 41 transactions above £1 million last year, the highest total ever registered, driven by fierce demand in the West End, Park area and Pollokshields.
Scotland’s 2025 success story
“Glasgow was the big story of 2025,” said Cameron Ewer, Head of Residential Sales at Savills Scotland.
“Demand for exceptional homes in the West End and across the city’s prime suburbs has outpaced anything we’re seeing elsewhere. The West End in particular has huge pull – it’s leafy, it’s lively and home to some of the most architecturally beautiful properties in the UK – but the real story is how far that demand is spreading.”
Ewer added that buyers motivated by character, community and connectivity are increasingly looking west, and are moving quickly when the right property comes to market.
South Lanarkshire and South Ayrshire also delivered their strongest-ever years at the top end, with Ewer attributing the momentum to a broader lifestyle shift: “Whether people are moving from London or moving across the city, they’re upgrading their quality of life.”
Capital control remains steadfast
Edinburgh, as ever, commands the lion’s share of Scotland’s prime activity. The capital posted 217 seven-figure sales through 2025, with 27 deals above £2 million and three above £5 million – one reaching £6 million.
Pricing “remained firm” across the year, and competition for the best family homes was described as intense.
While traditional enclaves such as the New Town, West End, Stockbridge and the Grange continued to dominate, Savills noted growing buyer interest in Dean Village and Juniper Green – areas it says reflect “buyers’ growing desire for character, green space and access to leading schools.”
East Lothian extended its run as one of Scotland’s most coveted addresses beyond the capital, chalking up a record 38 sales above £1 million. North Berwick, Gullane and Archerfield led the charge.
Strong structural developments near The Borders
Perhaps the most structurally significant development of 2025, however, came further south. The Borders and Dumfries & Galloway both achieved their strongest-ever years at the top end, with 12 and seven £1 million-plus sales respectively – year-on-year growth of more than 40% for both.
Savills described the shift as “a landmark moment,” noting that “areas once considered niche are now competing confidently with long-established hotspots.” The agency called it “one of the most significant structural shifts in Scotland’s prime market.”
The picture was less buoyant around Aberdeen and the Highlands, where activity remained “more subdued,” reflecting lower discretionary demand and ongoing economic transition in those regions.
Council Tax changes a catalyst for selling?
Looking ahead, the market faces one new variable: the Scottish Government recently confirmed new Council Tax bands for properties valued above £1 million, effective from 2028.
Savills research head Faisal Choudhry framed the development as a potential catalyst for supply: “Buyers and sellers can now plan with greater certainty,” he said, suggesting the new bands may prompt some long-term owners of larger family homes to consider releasing them to market.
On the broader outlook, Choudhry was measured but upbeat. “The data shows a market with real depth,” he said.
“This combination of stability at the top end and rapid expansion in emerging locations shows that Scotland’s prime buyers are increasingly motivated by lifestyle, value and connectivity – and this is reshaping the geography of demand across the country.”
