The number of potential buyers and sales hit new lows as the General Election approached, agents claim.

NAEA Propertymark’s latest Housing Report showed the number of sales agreed per member branch fell to seven in November, the lowest it has been since March.

Its member data showed that the number of house hunters registered per estate agent branch decreased over the month from 341 to 332.

This is the lowest figure seen since July but is still up on the 282 recorded in November 2018.

Additionally, the proportion of sales to first-time buyers fell marginally to 28% but was still up from 23% last year.

Supply was flat on a monthly basis at 39 properties for sale per branch, which is still more than the 35 registered in November 2018.

Mark Hayward, chief executive at NAEA Propertymark, attributed the lack of activity to the General Election and the time of year.

He said: “The housing market now has reassurance from a government, which will in turn inject some confidence in the market for both buyers and sellers.

“Now the political impasse is resolved and it’s clear how and when we’ll be leaving the EU, we hope there will be a degree of certainty which may trigger a flurry of activity.”

It comes as mortgage approvals are rising, providing an indication for future sales activity.

UK Finance figures showed there were 32,260 new first-time buyer mortgages completed in October, 2.8 up 2.8% annually.

The trade body said there was also a 4.2% annual increase in home mover mortgage approvals at 33,370.

Surveyors forecast that the number of mortgage approvals for November was up 2.8% annually.

Data from e.surv claimed there were 65,879 residential mortgages approved during November.

However, many of these could have been for remortgaging and fewer seem to be going to first-time buyers.

The figures showed the proportion of low deposit mortgages – typically those taken by first-time buyers – fell slightly from 29.2% to 27.7% as large and mid-sized borrowers increased their share of the market.