South East Cornwall is currently experiencing a boom in the housing market, with many buyers seeking new properties throughout the area.

Unfortunately, the number of properties available for purchase is at an all time low, meaning that local estate agents are having to disappoint potential customers.

Some agents have been leafleting towns hoping to attract sellers.

Sue Vincent of Miller and Co., based in Liskeard, said that one of the main reasons this problem has arisen is due to the fact that sellers are hanging on until the spring before they put their properties on the market.

She said: "By waiting until spring, sellers are expecting a greater number of potential buyers. The fact is the buyers are available now and by spring we may have an entirely different picture, such as more properties and fewer buyers and certainly more competition between estate agents."

Bradford and Bingley Stratton Creber in Liskeard and Darlows Estate Agents in Saltash confirmed these points. Now that interest rates are at a good level to buy properties, the demand is increasing all the time but estate agents simply cannot satisfy the needs of potential customers.

Mark Savill, Regional Director for Gribble Booth and Taylor said there was a lack of choice for buyers which is something that he was particularly concerned about.

He said: "We want to be able to offer buyers a range of choice so that they can find the type of property they really want. At the moment this is really difficult because, of course, we have more buyers than we have houses that they can buy. Saying this, we have actually had an increase of sales by 20 per cent compared with last year, but to allow buyers to see the best of what is on offer to them, we must encourage sellers to put their houses on the market now - it really is the best time to do so."

Peter Jeffered of Bradleys Estate Agents in Saltash likened the current situation to something of a vicious circle.

"The problem is that we have buyers but not enough people are aware that this is a really good time to sell. Spring really has come early for the housing market and there will come a point where buyers won't hang on forever, just as houses appear on the market!"