Finding Houses for Sale Edinburgh 

Scotland’s second largest city and the seventh most populous in the UK, is a bustling area that is also immensely friendly and welcoming. Not only is it stunning and packed with tourist attractions (that residents alike will heartily enjoy!)It is a highly walkable city with plenty of job opportunities – not to mention restaurants, shops, museums, art galleries, universities and year-round ‘sweater weather’. Edinburgh is a city built on history – and it could be your future.

Whether you are moving from elsewhere in the UK (or abroad) or want to find your dream home in your native area, the first step is looking for houses for sale in Edinburgh. How do you go about this? 

The Edinburgh Housing Market 

Good news for buyers: experts predict that the housing market will undergo a ‘shift’ in coming months. For the past two years, it has been a complete 100% seller’s market. People were in a buying frenzy, and there were more buyers than there were properties to be had. The shift will put this at approximately an 80% seller’s market and 20% buyer’s market. The number of homes for sale has increased 17% in the past six months. As a buyer, you will have more choice and be operating within a less frenetic environment. 

And as housing stock increases, typically prices decrease. As we saw, the dramatic shortage of houses on the market caused prices to increase – by as much as nearly 20% in the past few years. The converse is true as well, which is more good news for hopeful buyers. 

Yes, interest rates are rising to combat inflation, but we see this leveling out in the near term and do not expect sky high rates like we did in the 1980s, 1990s and the first decade of the 21st century. 

Currently, the average price for a house in Edinburgh is £295,979. The north and west of the city have a slightly lower average of £282,751.

So, we are seeing more homes on the market – how do you find them? 

Finding Houses for Sale Edinburgh

Ready to start your search? 

Online Property Listings

If you are like most buyers, you start your house search online with sites like Zoopla, Rightmove, PrimeLocation.com and OntheMarket.com. There’s a good reason why: these sites are easy to use and they feature up to date listings, as well as data on prices for which homes have sold. This gives you a solid sense of what’s happening in the market and what you might expect to pay. 

Use the opportunity to search by important filters, such as postcode, schools, public transit stations and more. You can view photos of the property and access a wealth of information, from key features to council tax to broadband speed to mortgage calculators. The best sites are highly comprehensive. Potential buyers can also call or email the listing estate agent directly for more information and to arrange a viewing.

Estate Agent

You may start your search online, but typically most people do reach out to an estate agent for assistance as they look for houses for sale Edinburgh. They have the local knowledge and insight you need to find the right fit, and they can recommend solicitors, surveyors and other professionals to help you through the twists and turns of the process. 

Auction

While the average home price of £295,979 is lower than the UK average as a whole, it can still seem out of reach for you. In this case, you may want to consider looking into property auctions. Auctions typically feature homes that are in some state of distress and will require rehabilitation. You will need to factor in the cost of repairs and improvements (or determine if you can tackle these jobs yourself) and see if it is worth it to you. The benefit, though, is that prices are generally much lower than you will see on the open market. 

You can search reputable auction sites just as you do property listing sites. View properties up for bid, learn more about features and specifics and schedule a viewing. You will need to sign up for a free account in order to view the legal pack (i.e. documents pertaining to the home, ownership, etc.) and to enter a bid online. 

Bank Owned Properties

This is another option if you are looking for houses in Edinburgh at lower prices. Bank owned properties are those that have been repossessed as owners defaulted on their mortgage. Lenders do not want to hold on to properties like this as it costs them more than it’s worth. Their goal is to sell them as quickly as possible to minimise their loss and risk – and this means prices can be highly advantageous to buyers. 
Start searching for houses for sale Edinburgh – and you could be home soon!