By GRAEME MURRAY HOUSE prices in Glasgow and west Scotland will continue to rise this year, a leading property firm predicts.

Consultants Knight Frank say a 9-10% rise is on the cards and last month's Bank of England decision not to increase the base interest rate above 5.25% will help the ever-expanding market.

The average house price in Glasgow is just under £140,000, but some homes in the city's most desirable districts can sell for more than £500,000.

John Coleman, Knight Frank's head of residential sales in Scotland, said: "We anticipate the market will remain strong through the rest of the first half of 2007, with buying activity at or above the 10-year average."

However, he predicted it would be a tough year for people desperate to get on the first rung of the property ladder.

He added: "It is increasingly difficult for first-time buyers to access the market and price growth higher than one or two percentage points above wage inflation is unlikely."