HOUSE prices in West Dunbartonshire are continuing to rocket, despite the cost-of-living crisis, latest figures show.

According to the UK House Price Index, average values in the area increased by 8.6% over just 12 months.

Homes in West Dunbartonshire were sold for an average of £136,605 in February – up by around £11,000 compared to a year earlier.

And the rate of growth in the local area is far in excess of the national average, with house prices across Scotland up by just 1% over the course of the year.

The most expensive council area in Scotland to buy a house was Edinburgh (£319,723), followed by East Lothian (£295,699) and East Renfrewshire (£280,591).

READ MORE: Drug driver who killed Dumbarton cyclist is jailed

Inverclyde was the cheapest place to snap up a property, with an average price of just £115,299.

Across Scotland as a whole, the average house price in February was £180,287.

Experts have stressed that January and February are typically slow months for house sales, in part because of the shorter days and extended holidays over the Christmas period.

They say the seasonal lull in activity has been amplified by a rise in mortgage costs.

The cost-of-living crisis has also had an impact on the budget available to many people who are keen to buy a new home.

Latest figures show that the number of homes sold locally has dropped as many potential buyers struggle to find their dream property.

READ MORE: Top three council pay cheques revealed as part of annual 'rich list'

Just 88 homes were sold in West Dunbartonshire in December, compared to 102 in the same month in 2021.

A spokesperson for Registers of Scotland, which provides data for the UK House Price Index, said: "In Scotland, detached houses showed the highest annual percentage change out of all property types, increasing by 2% in the 12 months to February 2023 to £325,000.

"Flats and maisonettes showed the lowest annual percentage change, which decreased by 0.5% in the 12 months to February 2023 to an average price of £123,000.

"The highest annual percentage change was in Moray, where average house prices increased by 10.1% in the 12 months to February 2023 to £188,000.

"The lowest annual percentage change was in City of Aberdeen, where average house prices decreased by 6.6% in the 12 months to February 2023 to £132,000."