Home owners around Heathrow may be bracing themselves for the impact of airport expansion on property prices, but vendors living along the Southern Rail route have already got used to the market stalling due to transport issues.

One buying agent, Curetons, is warning that continuous rail strikes have hit house prices.

Robin Edwards, partner at Curetons, says he is currently helping one client in the commuter belt of Surrey to move into Central London to avoid the regular delays and strike action on the Southern line.

He said: “The couple have very important jobs in finance and they can’t afford to be late or delayed getting into work. The husband particularly has to be in work before the financial markets open each morning. The train strikes and delays have been a nightmare for them.

“With property prices particularly in central London slowing, it’s a buyer’s market, so a good time for them to invest. They plan to hold on to the property for a while, use it as and when needed, and in the future either let it out or keep it for their children if they decide to study at university in the capital.”

Edwards says he has also had buyers deterred from the areas around Southern lines, adding: “Traditionally, southern areas of London not served by the tube network, but with good rail links, have been somewhat overlooked and as such have provided excellent value for money. However, the recent train strikes have really put off buyers and investors in those areas.”

It comes as online agent HouseSimple claimed prices of properties along the routes, including parts of Redhill, Shoreham-by-Sea and Worthing, have fallen an average of £1,875, or 0.42% since July, when a reduced timetable was first introduced following RMT strike action.

Alex Gosling, chief executive of HouseSimple, said: “House prices along Southern Rail routes haven’t gone into freefall just yet, but these figures do suggest that the ongoing dispute is hurting local property markets. It would be a real kick in the teeth if home owners, who have had to endure the daily misery of train delays, cancellations and strike action, started to see the value of their homes falling because of the RMT and Southern Rail’s inability to reach a deal.

“For prospective buyers, concerns over an unreliable train service as a result of further strike action is bound to play on their minds when they’re deciding where to buy. It’s likely some buyers, who may be looking to move out of London for a better quality of life, and the opportunity to get more property for their money, will be put off committing to a purchase until this dispute is resolved.

“On the other hand, it could provide an opportunity for determined buyers to negotiate a good price if there are sellers who need to move and are willing to consider lower offers in order to sell quickly.”