Robert Skerten, owner and director of Henry George, with offices in Malmesbury, Marlborough and Commercial Road, Swindon:

The optimism has disappeared but I don't think I'd say that a hard, fast 10 per cent has come off the market.

Basically, prices haven't gone up they are what they were three to six months ago. Properties are not selling for less than they were six months ago, but they're not selling for more either.

What the vendor has got used to over the last few years is that every time he or she has spoken to an estate agent, the price has gone up.

And every time they have looked in the paper, at a comparable property, it has been a different price, and higher than it was before.

But we've had more offers this week than we've had any other week this year. We have spoken to a lot of vendors and advised them that their properties need to be competitively priced sell.

But if you pick your estate agent carefully, and that agent extensively markets it, it will sell.