The number of houses sold by individual estate agents reached a 13-year high in July, NAEA Propertymark has found.

An average of 13 sales were agreed per branch in July, following the chancellor’s introduction of a stamp duty holiday from 8 July, the highest figure recorded since June 2007.

Year-on-year, the number of sales per branch has increased by 44 per cent, rising from nine recorded in July 2019, according to the estate agency body.

However, the number of properties sold for over the original asking price fell to eight per cent, a fall from 10 per cent in June; three in five properties sold for less than the original asking price in July.

The number of sales made to FTBs stood at 25 per cent in July, a fall from 29 per cent in June.

In July, the number of house hunters registered per estate agent branch rose by 13 per cent, increasing from 379 in June to 428, while the number of properties available per member branch stood at 43 in July, increasing from 37 in June.

Year-on-year, the supply of housing increased marginally from 41 properties per member branch in July 2019.

NAEA Propertymark chief executive Mark Hayward says: “It’s positive to see the market continuing to boom with clear interest from both buyers and sellers. Usually we would expect to see a lull in activity during the summer months; however, demand remains unabated with no signs that this will not continue. With the recent stamp duty holiday announcement, we expect the housing market to remain busy throughout the rest of the summer.”