HOUSE prices in Dunfermline have risen by a massive 17.8 per cent compared to the same three-month period last year.

The average selling price of properties in the town was £171,529 between December 2018 and February 2019, according to data by the ESPC.

The sharp rise seems to be attributable largely to a rise of larger properties on the market.

Two-bed homes also seem to be selling at a higher price, pushing values up.

The only areas across East Central Scotland that had risen by more were in the east of Edinburgh such as Corstorphine and South Gyle.

There was an average increase of 4.2 per cent between December 2018 and February 2019 across the East Central Scotland region.

Properties in West Fife also rose by 4.3 per cent, taking the average house price to £173,950.

Jamie Fraser-Davidson, business analyst at ESPC, said: "In Dunfermline, from December 2018 to February 2019, we saw a decrease in the volume of smaller flats sold compared to the previous year while there was an increase in the number of three-bedroom and larger homes sold.

"This contributed to the significant increase in average selling price year-on-year.

"Another factor was a sharp increase in the average selling price of two-bedroom flats in Dunfermline which comprise a reasonable amount of property sales in the town.

"There were also a few exceptionally large (six-bedroom) properties sold during these three months which drove up the average selling price."