The number of first-time buyers in Scotland rose by more than 90% over the last decade, according to new research from Bank of Scotland.
The number of Scots first time buyers went from 17,580 to 33,558 in 2019.
According to the figures, there was also 3% rise over the last year, with first-time buyers still accounting for half of all property purchases with a mortgage in Scotland.
The Bank of Scotland First-Time Buyer Review also revealed that the average price paid for a typical first home has gone up by £41,687) in Scotland over the last 10 years.
However, Scotland remains one of the most affordable places in the UK to buy a first property, with only Northern Ireland and the North recording a lower average price for first-time buyers in 2019.
The most affordable local authority district in Scotland is North Ayrshire, where the average price paid for a first home is £107,198.
By contrast, prices in the capital show the average first home is 5.1 times the average gross salary earning.
Ricky Diggins, Operations Director, Bank of Scotland, said: “We’ve seen a big uplift in the number of first-time buyers in Scotland over the last decade, and they continue to account for around half of all purchases.
“This shows just how important they are to the health of the Scottish property market, a situation that’s been helped by a number of factors, including Government schemes and continued low interest rates.
“Scotland also remains one of the most affordable areas in the whole of the UK, with both average prices and deposits much lower than the overall average across the four nations.
“That only tells part of the story though, with significant differences seen in many local areas, and locations such as Edinburgh and East Lothian looking more challenging for those aiming to take that first step onto the property ladder.”
