Activity in Scotland's housing market is set to see a substantial pick-up following the country's decision to remain part of the UK, according to estate agents.

Much of the market had ground to a halt as potential buyers put their plans on hold while they waited for the outcome of the referendum, t he National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) said last week.

Brokers had also reported hearing anecdotes of some buyers making offers which were conditional on a No vote and there were also warnings that mortgage deals could become harder to come by if Scotland voted to break away from the UK.

The NAEA also warned that the sudden release of pent-up activity back into the market from buyers who have been holding out could disrupt prices in the near-term.

Figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) earlier this week showed that house prices in Scotland had lifted to an all-time high.

Mark Hayward, managing director of the NAEA, said the certainty over Scotland's future provided by the vote means " good news for Scottish estate agents and their customers".

He continued: "Although the outcome does not necessarily guarantee clarity for the market, the mist of ambiguity will clear much earlier than if the outcome to Scottish independence was Yes.

"Therefore, there is likely to be a substantial increase in market activity in the coming months, with an increase seen in the volume of sales and investments. This could disrupt house prices in the short-term, although not significantly."

The average house price in Scotland surged to a record £198,000 in July after increasing by 7.6% over the previous 12 months, data from the ONS showed.

The increase meant that Scotland joined England in having typical property values above their pre-financial crisis peaks, while in Wales and Northern Ireland house prices remain below the highs seen in 2007/08.

Housing market experts have previously suggested that the possibility of Scotland moving to a different currency in the event of a Yes vote could have led to problems for people in Scotland trying to secure a mortgage.

It would raise the possibility of them trying to get a home loan in sterling while their income was paid in a different currency, which could potentially fall in value against the pound, they said.

This would create more risk for lenders and could have led to some deciding to exit the market in Scotland, leaving people looking for a mortgage there with less choice, they had suggested.