THE average price of a home in Scotland topped £143,100, according to the latest UK House Price Index.

The May figure marks an increase of 3.5 per cent on the previous year and a rise of 0.7 per cent on the results for April.

It compares with a higher UK rise of 4.7 per cent compared with the previous May, taking the average price to more than £220,700.

All but five of Scotland’s local council areas saw prices rise, with Perth and Kinross recording the biggest bump and Aberdeen City showing the steepest fall.

First-time buyers now have to find an average £115,580 to get on to the property ladder and detached pads recorded the highest increase in value.

Meanwhile, sales volumes figures for March 2017 show that most transactions happened in the Glasgow City area, followed by Edinburgh, Fife, South Lanarkshire and North Lanarkshire.

Kenny Crawford of Registers of Scotland said: “Prices in May continued their upward trend.”