Edinburgh's market is booming

Prices in parts of Scotland's capital have been booming.

Figures released by Edinburgh Solicitors' Property Centre show the average house price for a two-bedroom flat in Morningside, Marchmont and Bruntsfield is �137,048.

That represents a 24% rise in comparison with the first three months of last year.

The boom hit the headlines when David and Josephine Nicholson received a cash offer for their Nile Grove home of �850,000 - almost �500,000 more than the asking price.

Particulars of the deal were revealed within 24 hours of the deadline for offers passing, leading to calls for confidentiality clauses.

Public register

Some legal advisers are demanding formal safeguards against disclosure to third parties in case a buyer should be frightened off by unwanted publicity.

Details of property deals do eventually become a matter of public record when the sale is registered.

They also become available confidentially to all solicitors through the ESPC's database.