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We have gathered the most frequently asked questions on one page so you don't have to waste time browsing around to find your answer.

FAQ

We've put together answers to the most frequently asked questions below. For any other concerns please get in touch

  • What do the symbols mean on ASPC listings?

    Detached House
    Semi Detached House
    Terraced House
    Flat
    Number of Bedrooms
    Number of Public Rooms or Clearly Identifiable Open Plan Spaces
    Number of Bath/Shower Rooms
    Internal Floor Space (excluding garages & outbuildings)

  • How can I view a Home Report?

    To view home reports, find the property you are interested in and view the details. There, you will see an option to request the Home Report. Sign into your myASPC account and, after requesting a home report, you will be able to view an online copy. For more information about Home Reports, view our Home Reports Guide.

  • How do I view a Floor Plan?

    To view floor plans, navigate to the property you wish to view. You will find a tab labelled Floor Plan. Once you click on this tab, it will open an image of the floor plan for the property. If you wish to see a larger image, click the 'view floorplans' button in the lower right hand of the image to open a larger version. For properties set across multiple levels, a floor plan is often shown for each level and these can be navigated by clicking on the left/right arrows.  

    Not every listing has a floor plan.

  • How do I arrange a property viewing?

    You can arrange a viewing by navigating to the property you wish to view. Click on the blue 'Arrange a Viewing' tab. You will be redirected to the contact details for the relevant solicitor and from there you will be able to contact them. Sometimes the sellers details are displayed here and you can contact them directly. Here is a helpful article listing 10 questions you might find helpful to ask when viewing a property.

  • Where can I find ASPC guides?

    For help and advice on all things relating to buying & selling property, visit the Guides section of our website.

  • How can I get the latest updates on ASPC?

    For all your ASPC news, follow our blog. You can also follow us on social media to join the conversation. To stay up to date with our property listings, register to create a myASPC account and set up a saved search.

  • How do I contact the agents selling or leasing a property I am interested in?

    Contact the agents through the 'Ask A Question' tab on the property you'd like to enquire about. You can view the solicitor details there, or send them an email directly from the page.

  • How can I work out how much I can afford, and what my monthly mortgage repayments will be, when looking to buy a property?

    Use the ASPC mortgage calculator to work out how much your monthly repayments could be, and what you may be able to afford when looking to buy a property.

  • How do I create a myASPC account?

    Navigate to our registration page by clicking the 'Register' button in the top right hand corner of the screen, and register for free. You can also follow this link to register.

  • What can I do with a myASPC account?

    With a free MyASPC account, you can favourite properties, record notes on each property, save searches, set up daily property alerts, access home reports and check out recommended properties that are generated just for you based on your favourites

  • How do I view my favourite properties?

    Log in to your MyASPC account, head to your dashboard and scroll to the 'Favourites' section. Click the 'View All' button to see all the properties you've favourited. Alternatively, click here.

  • How do I create a favourite list and share it with my family?

    Navigate to your favourites tab, and click Share. You'll be given a popup that allows you to put in the emails of those you wish to share with, a message and notes.

  • How will I receive updates about my favourite properties or about new properties that match the criteria on my saved searches?

    Navigate to the MyASPC dashboard and select your account details. From there, click 'Manage my details' on the left side. You can select to receive notifications to your email for your favourites and saved searches. You can also select how often to recieve these emails.

  • How can I remove a property from my favourite’s list?

    To remove a property from the favourites list, navigate to the dashboard and select the favourites tab. Click remove property to take the property from your favourites list. Alternatively when searching, just click the red heart to remove it from the favourites list.

  • How do I view my saved searches?

    Log in to your MyASPC account, head to your dashboard and scroll to the 'Saved Searches' section. Click the 'View All' button to see all the searches you've saved. Alternatively, click here.

  • How do I register for property alerts?

    There are two types of property alerts. To receive a daily round-up of new properties and properties with changes (such as price changes or closing date status) that match your search criteria, you need to save your search and enable daily notifications.
    To receive updates about a particular property (such as price change, closing date or under offer status) you can add it to your favourites list by clicking the heart icon.

  • How do I turn off saved searches?

    To remove saved searches, navigate to your saved search dashboard. From there, you can press X and remove the search from your saved searches. Alternatively, if you want to keep the search so you can run it manually when you log in but no longer want to receive email updates, navigate to the MyASPC dashboard and select your account details. From there, click 'Manage my details' on the left side. You can de-select notifications for your saved search(es), or at the bottom of that page change 'saved search email frequency' to 'Never'.

  • How do I update myASPC details?

    To update your myASPC account, navigate to the dashboard and head to the Account details tab. From there, you can change all the details of your account, such as your telephone number and email address. Alternatively, click here.

  • Should a property go Under Offer, how can I get updates if the offer falls through and the property comes back on the market?

    Simply add this property as a favourite and, if the offer does fall through you will receive a 'no longer under offer' notification. We would also suggest that you contact the selling solicitor and leave your details so that you can be notified directly if the offer does fall through.

  • How do I amend a saved search

    To amend saved searches, head to your dashboard and to your saved searches. After this, simply press view/edit on your saved searches and head to the property search. From there, edit your filters to find your perfect property and then click back on 'Saved Searches' along the toolbar to either save as a new search or overwrite an existing search.

  • How do I re-open/re-instate a myASPC account?

    If there has been no sign of activity on your account for more than 3 months, your account will be suspended and you will no longer receive notifications of new properties on the market or updates on any properties you may be watching in your wishlist.

    Don't worry, if you still want to be an active member of myASPC and wish to continue receiving notifications, simply login to your account. If you need further assistance please contact ASPC.

  • How can I delete my account?

    To delete your account, navigate to the dashboard and head to your account details. From there, scroll to 'Delete account' and click. A pop-up will appear, after which you can press yes or no.

  • How do I choose a solicitor?

    Before setting out, try to think what it is from your solicitor you want. Check out our blog to see our advice on how to choose the best solicitor for you.

  • Are there any schemes to help me buy?

    For the most up to date information, please see our First Time Buyers Guide or view more information on the Scottish Government website.

  • Are there any schemes to help first time buyers?

    There are two Low Cost Initatives For First Time Buyers (LIFT) schemes available from the Scottish Government for first time buyers. The Open Market Shared Equity (OMSE) scheme helps people buy a home on the open market, and the New Supply Shared Equity scheme (NSSE), helps people buy a new-build home from a council or housing association. We have lots of helpful information for First Time Buyers in our Guide.

  • Is it cheaper to buy or rent a home?

    Private renting is often more expensive than a mortgage for a similar property, but it typically includes maintenance and repairs in the monthly cost. Renting doesn’t build equity, but does offer flexibility — ideal for those planning a short-term stay (under three years).

  • Should I use a solicitor to sell my house?

    By law, you need a solicitor to handle the legal process, known as conveyancing. This involves checking title deeds, conducting searches, preparing contracts, and ensuring the transfer of ownership is legally sound. In Scotland Solicitor Estate Agents combine this legal expertise with professional property marketing all under one roof, offering a one-stop service, managing both the marketing of your property and the legal work required to complete the sale. Not only does this save you from dealing with two separate companies, this streamlined process provides expert guidance throughout and you have the comfort of knowing all solicitor firms offering estate agency are regulated by the Law Society of Scotland.

  • What is the difference between an estate agent and a solicitor?

    An estate agent primarily handles the marketing of a property and a solicitor handles the legal process of transferring ownership. Choosing a solicitor estate agent (such as an ASPC Member Firm) means they can handle both the marketing and the legal aspects of a sale under one roof. This allows key legal steps - such as title deed checks, local authority searches, and requesting a mortgage redemption statement (to check for any early repayment penalties) to begin immediately. Starting these steps early helps avoid delays later in the process once an offer has been accepted.

  • Why should I request a home report when buying a house?

    Home reports consist of 3 parts, a Property Questionnaire (completed by the seller), the EPC and the Single Survey which includes the Mortgage Valuation (all completed by a chartered surveyor). The report gives a prospective buyer an idea of the value of the property as well as information on any potential repairs or upgrades the property requires. Find out more relevant information on home reports and how to get the most out of your home report within our blogs. We also have an article covering ten things buyers should look for in a home report before buying a house.

  • What does “Under Offer” mean?

    If a property is listed on the site as 'under offer', this means that the seller has accepted an offer from another buyer and the 'contract' formalities (missives) are being dealt with. This does not mean that the property is sold, so a property that is currently 'Under Offer' may come back on the market if the buyer is unable to fulfill the necessary requirements to go through with the purchase of the property. You are able to add a property that is 'Under Offer' to your favourites list, where you can keep an eye on it and see if it comes back on the market.

  • What is property factoring?

    Property factors oversee and upkeep shared areas of land or property owned by multiple homeowners, such as communal staircases, corridors, and lifts in a multi-unit residential building, along with landscaping and open space areas in housing developments. In some flatted properties, the factoring fee includes buildings insurance. Details of Property Factoring are contained in the Home Report under the 'Property Questionnaire' section.

  • How can I check the school catchment area of properties I might be interested in?

    Within the property description, many will state school catchment areas, and the local area information pages give an indication of schools in an area, but the most accurate means of checking is to use the school catchments tools on the Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Council websites.

  • What is Land and Buildings Transaction Tax?

    Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) is a tax applied to residential and commercial land and buildings transactions (including commercial purchases and commercial leases) which replaced UK Stamp Duty in 2015. Check out our calculator to help you work out your LBTT. The tax to be paid will depend on the price of the property. If the purchase price is below £145,000 for a residential property or below £150,000 for a commercial property, then no Land and Buildings Transaction Tax would need to be paid.

    It's worthwhile being aware of Additional Dwelling Supplement (ADS) if you are buying a second property such as a holiday house or buy-to-let property.

  • How much will my mortgage be?

    Use the ASPC online mortgage calculator to work out how much your monthly repayments may be and what you may be able to afford when looking to buy a property. Please note that these figures are only a guide and professional advice should be obtained prior to offering for a property.

  • Is buying a new build house a good option?

    New build properties comply with the latest building standards and regulations. Modern homes are generally more energy efficient than older properties, with around 80% of new homes delivered being given energy efficiency ratings of A or B. New builds tend to be more expensive than second hand homes, and as a first time owner there can be hidden costs such as floor coverings, window blinds, garden landscaping to take into account.

  • What are common questions to ask when buying a new build home?

    We list common questions that are asked about New Build properties on our House Builders page. Take a look here.

  • How do changing interest rates affect the housing market?

    Interest rates influence the housing market by affecting mortgage affordability, but they're not the only factor at play. When rates rise, borrowing costs increase, which can slow demand and temper price growth. However, properties still sell during these periods because life continues - people marry, start families, relocate for work, and need more space. Similarly, when rates fall, buying becomes more affordable, often boosting demand and prices. In short, while interest rates shape market trends, real-life needs ensure that transactions happen in every market condition.

  • What is stamp duty, and how is it calculated?

    Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) replaced Stamp Duty in Scotland on 1st April 2015. LBTT is now the Scottish equivalent of Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT). We have a handy LBTT Calculator to help you calculate the amount of Land and Buildings Transaction Tax you may pay for a property purchase in Scotland.