THE PROPERTY downturn has had one noticeable effect on estate agents’ calendars – there’s no longer any seasonality to the market, and no obvious “good time” to put your home up for sale.

Traditionally, spring and autumn were considered key times for house sales, and sellers were advised to wait for the most popular months – March and May, September and October – to open their doors. No more. With sales activity flat – even in key months – agents are telling sellers to go to market on the basis of now being as good a time as any. And house viewings are reportedly busier now, in mid-November, than in May or June, and new properties continue to come up for sale, rather than waiting for spring and the daffodils.