The number of buyers jumped by 14% in early January compared with the same period last year, driving an increase in activity in the housing market.

There are growing positive signs for the property market, with buyer demand in 2024 tracking 14% ahead of early 2023, and new sales agreed up 16% compared to the first week of 2023.

Zoopla, which provided the data, also said that vendor leads increased by 128% compared to Christmas Eve – and remain 175% higher two weeks after Zoopla’s major marketing campaign launch on Christmas Day; over 11,500 properties were listed on Zoopla on the 26 December.

This general improvement in market sentiment should continue into the Spring with improvements in mortgage rates continuing to bring new buyers into the market, according to the property portal.

Ian Fry, national MD for estate agency at Connells Group, commented: “The start of 2024 has been far more positive than this time last year.”

“Improving buyer sentiment drove a much more active December and with lenders reducing rates as soon as we returned in January we expect this momentum to continue through the rest of January and beyond,” he added.