Sales from its Elgin office increased by 6.3 percent in 2022 compared with 2021, which was also a very good year and significantly up on the pre-pandemic period.  The number of viewings conducted by the firm in 2022 was 52 per cent higher than the previous year, an indication of the very strong demand from buyers.

House sales are also completing more rapidly in Moray than in 2021 – with the average time taken to sell having fallen by 34 per cent year on year.

Braerich | Galbraith

New restaurants, cafes and bars are attracting rave reviews and contributing to the feel-good factor.

The refurbishment of the historic Craigellachie Hotel with a new pub The Copper Dog, offering high-end cuisine from renowned chef Will Halsall has generated international interest and boosted demand from househunters. In the pretty village of Hopeman, Bootleggers’ Bar & Grill sells freshly caught seafood, while Orrin in Elgin is a new fine dining restaurant using the best local and seasonal produce.

Rod Christie, partner and head of the estate agency team in Moray said:

“The lifestyle in Moray has always been idyllic, with our superb coastlines and stunning natural scenery, but the buzz around the restaurant scene is certainly an additional benefit. Villages which are close to a top-rated restaurant or a trendy bar generally have greater attraction to buyers and property there will often command a premium.

“The revitalised restaurant scene is undoubtedly of benefit to the region and over the past year properties have been in huge demand.”

Westerfolds House | Galbraith

Galbraith sells rural and premium property, land and farms from its 14 offices throughout Scotland and the north of England. The firm handles the sale of property valued at £230.4m per annum on average.

Recent sales through Galbraith in Moray include:

  • Riversyde, High Street, Aberlour. Guide Price £535,000. This attractive traditional house with five bedrooms and a superb location overlooking the River Spey in Aberlour is under offer following a significant degree of interest.
  • Westerfolds House near Duffus and five minutes from Hopeman,  was marketed for offers over £900,000. This superb blonde sandstone property has retained its attractive period features and offers excellent entertaining space. Outside the grounds are no less impressive, extending to 7.95 acres and including formal gardens, kitchen and vegetable beds, a sensory garden and paddocks.
  • Braeriach in Craigellachie. Braeriach is an impressive family home set in a charming edge of town location in Grantown and at the heart of the Cairngorms National Park. Dating from the 1880s, the house has a wealth of period features across its four reception rooms and nine bedrooms. Marketed for a guide price of £650,000, the house sold at a closing date.