HARD-WORKING families will be penalised by a new property tax, Scotland's home building industry has warned.

The new tax, which is due to replace stamp duty next April, will hit homebuyers purchasing properties in the mid to high price range, according to Homes for Scotland chief executive Philip Hogg.

Mr Hogg said all buyers purchasing homes over £325,000 will be worse off.

He said: "While we are naturally keen to see support directed to vitally important first-time buyers and those on the lower rungs of the housing ladder, we are concerned that proposals to raise the nil rate band together with the introduction of 10 and 12 per cent bands for homes over £250,000 will prove too punitive on the middle and upper market which generally comprises families with changing needs and aspirational movers.

"It cannot simply be assumed that these households are able to raise the significant additional funds required at the proposed new rates. As such, we are concerned this will result in damaging market stagnation at a time when Scotland already has an acute housing shortage."

He added that upmarket areas such as Edinburgh, East Renfrewshire and Aberdeen would be worst hit by the change, with a reduction in sales likely.

Under the new Land and Buildings Transactions Tax, buyers will not be taxed on sales below £135,000 and will pay two per cent up to £250,000. However, above that figure costs increase sharply, with people buying homes costing more £325,000 paying more than before.

Tax on a £400,000 property will be £5300 more than at present, and as much as £22,300 will be added on to the cost of purchasing on a home worth £750,000. Million-pound properties will incur an extra £27,300 in tax.

The system replaces stamp duty, which starts at one per cent for homes worth £125,000 to four cent on properties purchased for £500,000 or more.

Mr Hogg said Homes for Scotland was submitting proposals to the Scottish Parliament's Finance Committee calling for the introduction of an additional band between £250,000 and £500,000. He said the body would also lobby for the tax rate on land purchases to remain capped at four per cent.

The warning comes as estate agents report a surge in activity at the top end of the market as buyers and sellers rush to avoid the tax hike.

Dr John Boyle, director of research and strategy at Rettie and Co, said: "It is most noticeable in Edinburgh, Aberdeen and the west end of Glasgow, where there are more properties above £325,000 than elsewhere."

A spokeswoman for the Scottish Government said: "Ninety per cent of homebuyers will either pay less or the same amount as they would under current arrangements while increasing the tax threshold will take an additional 5000 homebuyers out of tax - helping first time buyers and improving the affordability of starter homes.

"The average property price in every local authority area in Scotland including, Edinburgh, East Renfrewshire and Aberdeen is significantly below £325,000 - the value below which the LBTT charge is lower than or the same as under SDLT. In fact those buying a property at the average price in Edinburgh of £227,361 will save £427.

Meanwhile, houses prices are at their highest level since records began, according to official statistics published today.

The average house price in Scotland in the second quarter was £170,190, up 5.2% on the same period in 2013.

It is the highest figure since Registers of Scotland (RoS) began compiling quarterly house price statistics in 2003.

From July to September this year, the total volume of sales was also up, with an increase of 9.1% on the same quarter in the previous year. This figure represents the highest volume of sales for any quarter since Q1 of 2008-09.

RoS director of commercial services Kenny Crawford said: "This is the second consecutive quarter in which the annual increase in average house price has risen by over 5%, bringing the average property price above pre-economic downturn levels, to just over £170,000.

"This, combined with the increase in sales volumes, has brought the total value of sales across Scotland to just under £4.5 billion for the quarter, up 14.8% on the same period last year."

Renfrewshire recorded the highest percentage rise in average price compared with the same quarter of the previous year, up 17.2% to £137,072.

The City of Edinburgh recorded the highest average at £235,402, a rise of 5.6% compared with the same quarter in the previous year.

The largest percentage fall in price was the Scottish Borders, which showed a drop of 5.7% with an average price of £164,448.

The City of Edinburgh remains the largest market with sales of just under £759 million for the quarter, an increase of 17.9% compared with the same quarter last year.

East Dunbartonshire showed the highest percentage rise with the value of sales increasing by 36.4% compared to the previous year.

All property types showed an increase in average house price in this quarter, the biggest increase being in terraced properties at 5.3%.

The largest sales volumes came from detached properties, which went up by 11.2% on the previous year.

"The proposals from Homes for Scotland would not generate as much tax as we have proposed, which would mean there would be a shortfall in the public finances to the tune of £45 million."

Bob Fraser, partner at Aberdein Considine, Scotland's biggest solicitor estate agent, said: "These figures push the average property price above pre-economic downturn levels and what is healthy is that there is strong activity right across Scotland, not just Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and Edinburgh.

"Aberdeen went through a boom in 2013 and what we are seeing now is places like Moray, Angus and Perth and Kinross catching up.

"These figures probably do not indicate any impact from the referendum but what it does show is just how healthy the market was going into the vote.

"What is clear, however, is a 'Commonwealth Games effect' - there was a real feel-good factor in the Glasgow during this period and that is reflected in the sales and price increases during the quarter."