Scotland is forecast to see the strongest house price growth next year, it has been announced.

New figures from building society Nationwide indicate that property prices in the country will rise by four per cent in comparison to other regions of the UK such as Northern Ireland where prices are expected to fall by five per cent.

The house price-to-earnings ratio in Scotland is lower than anywhere else in the UK, showing that affordability has not worsened to the same extent as in other regions.

Scotland is probably less vulnerable to weaker conditions in the UK housing market as a whole as it has not participated as much in past house price booms.

The UK as a whole is forecast to see house price inflation drop, according to chief economist Fionnuala Earley.

"A number of factors suggest that house price inflation will drop from its current rate of 9.7 per cent to zero per cent by this time next year," she comments.

Recent figures from the Bank of Scotland indicate that the average house price north of the border is currently £141,158.