TWO Lanarkshire towns saw the highest rate of house price growth in Scotland in 2021 according to the latest data from Bank of Scotland.

On average, house prices across the country rose by 8.8%, but houses in Motherwell saw a rise of 17.3% and a 13.7% rise in Hamilton.

They are the only two towns in Scotland to be amongst the UK’s 20 biggest house price increases, with Motherwell coming seventh and Hamilton coming in at number 20.

Motherwell also saw the largest increase in cash terms at £26,102, with the average cost of a home rising from £151,105 to £177,118.

Hamilton’s average house price rose by £19,225 to £159,176.

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Paisley came seventh in Scotland after average house prices there saw a rise of 11.8%, with average prices increasing by £16,327 to £154,363.

Glasgow meanwhile was tenth in Scotland for the lowest growth in average house price with an increase of just 7.1%.

The average house price in the city rose by £13,662 from £193,621 to £207,282.

Graham Blair, mortgages director at Bank of Scotland, said: “Scottish house prices have enjoyed another bumper year, with growth outperforming the UK average and properties in almost every town now worth more than 12 months ago.

“The feedback we’re getting from customers matches what we see in the data.

“Prolonged working from home influenced where people want to live and the type of property they want to own.

“So while our major cities continue to be attractive, with commuting now less of a priority, areas that offer more space and better affordability have experienced increasing demand from buyers.”

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Airdrie and Coatbridge were the only two towns in Scotland to see a decrease in house prices.

Prices in Airdrie dropped by -3.8% from £156,897 to £150,874, while in Coatbridge they dropped by -2.3% from £149,315 to £145,880.

Despite an increase of just 7%, Edinburgh remains the most expensive place to buy in Scotland with an average house price of £293,406.