Figures from the Registers of Scotland revealed the number of properties sold increased by 26.1% when compared to the same quarter a year previously.
Some 25,579 properties were sold between October and December, which is the highest on record since 2008.
The findings also showed that prices had increased by just over 3% to take the average cost of a home to £159,670.
Looking at the different locations, the most expensive area to purchase a home in Scotland was East Renfrewshire with the average price £222,906. The capital, Edinburgh, had the largest number of sales with 2,951 properties exchanging hands. This was followed by Glasgow with 2,569 completed sales.
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Elsewhere, East Lothian had the highest percentage rise in prices with the average price jumping 14.9%, from £182,330 to £209,566; while the largest percentage fall in average house prices was in Inverclyde, where values fell by 8.7% to £116,085.
Kenny Crawford, Registers of Scotland's Director of Commercial Services, said: "The Scottish property market is definitely showing signs of improvement and renewed optimism, possibly partially fuelled by an influx of first-time buyers thanks to schemes such as Help To Buy.
"All property types showed an increase in average house price, the biggest being in detached properties, up 2.2%, with this type showing the biggest increase in sales volumes of 26.3%, followed by terraced properties up 26%."
(JP/CD)
