Buyers search for property in record numbers

Published: February 14, 2008

People in the UK are as hungry as ever for property ownership, according to Hot Property.

The firm has revealed that traffic through its property website reached record levels in January.

It is a great sign for the health of the housing market and shows that many people are not being put off from buying property by some recent gloomy reports.

Hot Property claims that 1,865,155 people visited its site in the month, signalling a 32 per cent year-on-year increase.

"January was the highest traffic we have ever experienced, showing that buyers are regaining confidence and are actively searching for properties," said Shawn Luetchens, the firm's managing director.

"It would appear that negative reports in the media and slowing house price growth have not put people off.

"In some respects this is actually a good time to buy, especially for first-time buyers willing to make a long-term investment to get a foot on the ladder," he continued.

Hot Property recently published its Agents' Confidence Index, which revealed that 72 per cent of agents were more confident about the housing market in January than December.