Housing experts have issued a warning to anybody wanting to sell their home this year.
Prospective home sellers hoping to agree a deal by Christmas Day may need to get their home on the market by early November, analysis suggests. Last year homes took an average of 52 days to sell, according to property website the HomeOwners Alliance's "find an estate agent" service.
A lack of homes to choose from compared with house hunter numbers helped to underpin strong competition in the housing market. Cuts to stamp duty, announced in the recent mini-budget, may also spur some buyers on.