North of the border

TOM STEWART-MOORE of Knight Frank in Edinburgh was in festive mood as he signed off on a year that promised little, but delivered more than anyone expected: ‘This year, despite all the uncertainty, the Scottish property market has surprised us all. Although stock levels were down, the majority of properties that we brought to the market—from cottages to country houses and estates—have all found buyers, not only from Scotland, but the south and overseas. For the first time in years, we have seen quite a few American buyers, some looking to buy houses in Edinburgh or St Andrews, or larger houses in the country. We expect