NAEA Propertymark has reported that the number of sales agreed per branch rose from eight in May to nine in June, as buyers pushed through summer property transactions.

However, this is 18% lower than June last year when agents agreed a total of 11 sales per branch.

The proportion of sales made to first-time buyers rose by five percentage points to 29% in June – the highest amount recorded since February.

Meanwhile, the number of properties available per branch rose in June, from 37 to 39. Year-on-year this is a 5% increase, as agents also marketed 37 properties in June 2017.

Looking at a five-year comparison, the number of properties available is down 15% from 46.

The number of house hunters registered per estate agent branch decreased by 12%, from 351 in May to 308 in June. This is the lowest number of buyers recorded since March this year and 20% lower than June 2017, when 384 prospective buyers were registered per branch.

Mark Hayward, chief executive of NAEA Propertymark, said: “We have seen a rise in the number of sales which is typical of this time of year as buyers and sellers seek to complete their property transactions ahead of the quieter holiday period.

“If a seller is hoping to avoid the summer slowdown and is looking to market their home once this has passed, they can spend some time over the coming months ensuring their home is ready for sale, whether it be decluttering, or refreshing the décor.”