The Highlands have seen the biggest year-on-year increase

Data from the Registers of Scotland showed that Lothian region again had the highest average price at �153,669.

The Highlands and Islands had the highest year-on-year increase with the average at �110,833 and Glasgow area continued to be the biggest market.

Meanwhile, Lloyds TSB Scotland said its figures presented evidence of a slowdown in the property market.

Registers of Scotland released figures for the quarter April to June 2005, which showed a 2% increase countrywide from an average price of �115,283 in the previous quarter.

Over the year, it said, this represented an 8.7% increase.

AVERAGE PRICES BY REGION Central: �105,300 Grampian: 111,414 Highlands, Islands: 110,833 Lothian: 153,669 Borders: 118,042 South West: 100,513 Glasgow: 112,964 Unallocated: �144,726 Source: Registers of Scotland

Registers of Scotland has provided breakdowns by local authority area but has also grouped these areas into larger regions as part of its study.

However, it said some sales could not be accurately located in a local authority area and these were defined as 'unallocated'.

Prices in Lothian rose by 2.1% on the last quarter and this was up 5.9% on the same quarter last year.

While the Highlands registered a 14.1% year-on-year rise, Glasgow remained the largest market for sales which stood at �1.2bn, a rise of �167.5m or 16% on the same period in 2004.

Sales in the latest quarter totalled almost �3.8bn, which was a rise of ��27m or 9.5% on last year.

Lloyds TSB Scotland also published its latest House Price Monitor which indicated that the price of the average domestic property rose by 0.8% in the three months to October.

AVERAGE HOUSE PRICES Edinburgh: �178,078 South east (excluding Edinburgh): �142,272 Aberdeen: �137,658 Glasgow: �130,175 South west (excluding Glasgow): �125,450 North (excluding Aberdeen): �123,858 Dundee: �119,385 Central/Fife/Perth/Tayside: �117,359 Source: Lloyds TSB Scotland

The average Scotland-wide house price stood at �129,989.

Overall, the study showed that while average house prices have now risen for 19 consecutive quarters, the increase has slowed.

Professor Donald MacRae, chief economist at Lloyds TSB Scotland, said: "Although there are wide variations across Scotland, there is now clear evidence that the annual rate of increase in average prices is slowing to a level much more consistent with the average annual increase of earnings of 4 to 5%.