Knight Frank’s latest research reveals that successive lockdowns have led to a growing number of buyers in England heading north of the border, attracted by Scotland’s green spaces and the relative affordability of its property.

The study found that new prospective buyers based in the UK but outside of Scotland made up almost a fifth – 18% – of all those looking to purchase property in Scotland in the first ten months of 2021. This compares with 14% in the same period in 2019.

Among that group, London-based buyers made up the largest share, at 46% in the first ten months of 2021. This compares to 31% in the same period in 2019.

The share of sales to UK buyers based outside Scotland has also increased. Between January to October 2021, UK buyers based outside of Scotland made up 22% of total sales in Scotland. This compared with 19% in the same period of 2019.

Edward Douglas-Home, head of Scottish residential at Knight Frank, said: “Since the pandemic, people have taken stock and many Scots that moved away to other parts of the UK for work and to advance their careers now want to return to their roots, often to raise a family. This is something that’s been enabled by the ability to work remotely.”