The gap between asking prices and what buyers end up paying is narrowing.

That’s the message from Knight Frank, the UK company with the reputation of “top people’s estate agent”.

The number of offers accepted by sellers outside the capital during the week to June 6 was the highest on record, up 52 per cent compared with Knight Frank’s five year average.

Oliver Beales, head of sales at the firm’s Beaconsfield office agreed: “Yes, the market is moving well,” he said.

“We have high levels of inquiries from motivated buyers who would like to move quickly.

“At the end of last week we had offers come in on 11 different homes from £500k to £4m. In most cases at the moment we are agreeing offers at the guide price or just slightly below.”

Damian Gray, sales boss at Knight Frank’s Oxford office described the level of inquiries as extraordinary. He said: “I have never been contacted by so many people who want to live outside London. Vendors are generally listening to advice [on pricing]. Meanwhile buyers are generally happy to pay the right amount and go for it.”

His colleague David Peters, head of country house sales across all offices emphasised: “The reason that markets outside of the capital are currently setting records comes down to price.

“The average discount to the asking price of sales outside London is 1.2 per cent since the market re-opened. That compared to 2.4 per cent during the lockdown.”

Not all agents in the industry agree that sellers are prepared to lower their expectations regards to price.

According to the economists who compiled home.co.uk’s index for June, “vendors are re-entering the market and, most remarkably, they are pricing higher.”

The online analysts report: “Counter to the doom and gloom that has dominated the media recently, vendors who have been brave enough to place their properties on the market are showing considerable confidence and less caution than might be expected.

“However, considering the overall lack of supply - only around 40 per cent of properties were added to agents’ books in May compared with the number normally expected that month - their bullishness would seem justified.

“Supply was already low a year ago, according to longer term trends, and the mere trickle of properties coming on the market is highly unlikely to surpass demand.

“The fact is that the market is currently in a state of transition and the new normal is yet to be defined. We anticipate it will take two to three months to find its new post-pandemic equilibrium.”

To give you some idea of how values have fluctuated here are average asking prices for properties of different sizes for sale in four towns in south Bucks compared with 12 months ago. Data from home.co.uk.

High Wycombe

On Tuesday this week 561 properties were advertised for sale.

Detached: June 2019 - £631,966. This week - £671,070 (+ six per cent price change)

Semi-detached: June 2019 - £369,246. This week - £396,936 (+ seven per cent)

Terraced: June 2019 - £341,652. This week - £325,985 (- five per cent)

Flats: June 2019 - £236,591. This week - £227,125 (- one per cent)

Beaconsfield

Number of houses advertised for sale on Tuesday: 247

Detached: June 2019 - £2,113,376. This week - £2,222,494 (+ five per cent)

Semi-detached: June 2019 - £606,111. This week - £626,248 (+ three per cent)

Terraced: June 2019 - £565,343. This week - £458,118 (- 19 per cent)

Flats: June 2019 - £546,515. This week - £566,719 (- four per cent)

Marlow

Number of homes advertised for sale on Tuesday: 178

Detached: June 2019 - £1,010,430. This week - £1,058,323 (+ five per cent)

Semi-detached: June 2019 - £679,200. This week - £606,134 (- 11 per cent)

Terraced: June 2019 - £634,284. This week - £781,359 (+ 23 per cent)

Flats: June 2019 - £448,805. This week - £394,852 (- 12 per cent)

Amersham

Number of houses advertised for sale on Tuesday: 149

Detached: June 2019 - £991,378. This week - £1,115,000 (+ 12 per cent)

Semi-detached: June 2019 - £567,927. This week - £544,293 (- four per cent)

Terraced: June 2019 - £606,250. This week - £576,600 (- five per cent)

Flats: June 2019 - £374,650. This week - £365,249 (- three per cent)