Scotland defied a slowdown in UK house prices during June this year, with new buyer enquiries rising in the country over the month.

New figures from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics) indicate that the number of buyer enquiries in Britain fell during June 2007 in all regions except Scotland, Wales and the West Midlands.

Despite a series of increases in the base rate by the Bank of England since August last year, the Scottish housing market remains relatively buoyant, with Rics recording robust price rises in Scotland during June.

A recent Nationwide report on the UK property market during the second quarter of 2007 stated that regional differences in house prices continue, with the average house price in Scotland rising to £148,593, significantly below the national average of £181,180.

According to the figures, Aberdeen saw the second highest increase in house prices over the quarter (35 per cent), with an average home in the city now costing £218,152.