Peter Ryder

The estate agency, which is part of Thorntons, sold 1,341 properties last year compared with 1,240 in 2024. While the rise reflects an overall increase in property sales across the UK, it also underlines the increasing strength and breadth of the business.

In April, Thorntons Property launched its first Inverness-based sales team as part of its ambitions to offer a Scotland-wide end-to-end residential property service. It now has a presence in 11 areas across the country, including Edinburgh, Dundee, Angus, Fife and Perth.

Peter Ryder, managing director, Thorntons Property, said: “At Thorntons, we experienced an exceptionally successful year in 2025, selling over 1,300 properties valued at more than £300 million. This achievement has solidified our position as one of the top estate agents in the country.

“We take pride in offering a diverse range of properties, from first-time buyer flats to million-pound homes, with the added advantage of providing both legal and estate agency services under one roof. We were also thrilled to expand our reach by opening an estate agency in Inverness in April 2025, marking an important step toward our ambition to have a presence across the whole of Scotland.” 

He said that the number of clients seeking bungalows has doubled over the past 12 months, with bungalow sales often going to a closing date. Demand is being driven by an ageing population seeking more accessible single-storey homes.

He also noted an uplift in first-time buyer (FTB) activity. According to research, FTBs now account for almost two fifth of sales UK-wide compared with just 28% 10 years ago.

Mr Ryder added: “We expect a steady increase in housing stock and a healthy demand for homes to help maintain property prices in Scotland, with a projected price uplift of around 3% to 4% in 2026.

“The market is already showing signs of improvement with more competitive two- and five-year mortgage options becoming available, along with better mortgage affordability. Coupled with decreasing inflation, this creates a positive economic environment that is likely to foster a ‘feel-good’ factor for buyers next year, encouraging them to enter the property market.

“Interestingly, first-time buyers now constitute the largest group of purchasers, accounting for nearly 40% of all transactions, demonstrating that the ambition to own property remains strong. In Scotland, first-time buyers are also benefiting from slightly lower property prices in some areas. This has contributed to a slightly younger first-time buyer in Scotland.”