The weather has perked up with the arrival of spring – and so it seems has the housing market, writes Neil Thomas.

There are definite signs of recovery, according to figures from a national estate agent. Strutt & Parker says it has seen “greatly increased activity” over the past month, from registered applicants and viewings to instructions and sales.

Many figures outstrip those for a year ago, when the market showed the first serious signs of flagging, it says.

Strutt & Parker’s figures show in March the number of exchanges on sales across all types of property rose by 98 per cent, compared with February – and are only eight per cent down on those for March 2008.

The number of properties that came onto the market with Strutt & Parker rose by 103 per cent compared with last March, and viewings were 38 per cent higher than a year ago. And the number of potential buyers registering their interest is nearly four times higher than this time last year.

Allowances should be made for two Strutt & Parker Open House Days in February and March, in which several offices co-ordinated viewings of a range of properties, which will have swelled viewing figures and the amount of registered interest. Nevertheless, the firm says the figures indicate that things are looking up.

“These figures are definite signs of some kind of resurgence,” said Mark Wiggin, of Strutt & Parker’s Shrewsbury office.

“We are not only seeing more interest from buyers, but, significantly, the deals that are being made are not falling through, as they were in December and January.

“And our Chelsea office has seen three cases of gazumping in 10 days. We don’t like gazumping, but it’s a sure indication that confidence is returning.

“There could be several reasons for this renewed confidence. Spring is the traditional time for the market to perk up after the slower winter months.

“More important, property prices have fallen considerably, and buyers are sensing that they might not come down much further.

“The market as a whole is more reasonably priced than it was, and people know that prices can only go up.

“The drivers of the property market – growing families, downsizers, unemploy-

ment relocation – are always with us.

“It looks as though, after a year of holding our breath while we size up the new reality, we are all learning to live with it and are starting to breathe again.”