People are still prepared to pay over the odds for a house

Findings contained in a Clydesdale Bank survey indicate that house-buyers now have the confidence to be more fussy, following an easing-up in the market.

Researchers found sellers were less optimistic, with as many as 10% prepared to accept lower offers to sell their homes.

About 400 people were questioned across Scotland for the survey.

Despite the shift in the market experts found almost half the purchasers questioned did not yet feel conditions had softened enough for them to reduce their "offers over" bids.

The overheated property market, stoked by low interest rates, has prompted the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee to raise the base rate five times in under a year.

The findings of our latest survey would suggest just a gentle softening is in line for the Scottish market Steve Reid Clydesdale Bank

But rates were frozen for the second consecutive month this week at 4.75%,

Clydesdale spokesman Steve Reid said: "In recent months we've seen evidence that the pace of the UK housing market is starting to slow gently.

"Our survey shows that this perception appears to be having a psychological effect on how Scots are approaching the buying process, but it does not appear to be putting them off buying."

He added: "Buyers, when searching for a house, now feel they can take their time, look around several and go back for second viewings.

"At the peak of the house price boom many Scots buyers were immediately bidding over 30% above the offers over price after just one visit to a property and there were even reports of people bidding for houses they'd only ever seen over the internet."

Most home owners expect their property to increase in value

Mr Reid said: "Despite buyers now taking more time over the purchasing process, there appears to be the same number of people out there looking to buy.

"So the findings of our latest survey would suggest just a gentle softening is in line for the Scottish market."

The study also found that even though seven out of 10 people anticipated further interest rate hikes, 57% expected the value of their homes to continue increasing over the next year.

It also found that an anticipated glut of buyers rushing to take out fixed-rate mortgages to escape rate rises had not materialised.

In April the bank reported that more than a third of would-be first time buyers were giving up hope of purchasing a house in Scotland in the following 12 months.