Jackson-Stops & Staff, the national estate agents, reports a significant increase in the number of properties under offer and in the average value per transaction last month, illustrating the resilience of residential property as a safe haven, according to chairman Andrew Froude. In July, the number of properties under offer across the 43 offices of Jackson-Stops & Staff showed a year on year increase of 14 per cent.

There was also a year on year increase in the average value per transaction, up by six per cent. The number of new instructions was down in July, compared with each of the previous three months, moving towards a more even balance between supply and demand across Jackson-Stops & Staff offices, renowned for their stunning properties in the country house market.

Andrew Froude, chairman of Jackson-Stops & Staff, said: The overall indication is that the market has achieved some stability over the past 12 months. The positives for the property market are that interest rates are likely to remain low and like gold, bricks and mortar have traditionally been regarded as a safe haven when currencies and other investments are under pressure.