Scrolling property portals is useful, but registering with an estate agency can give buyers a more personal, proactive search experience, especially when the right home is about to come to market.

Summer is traditionally a quieter period for the UK property market, with school holidays, family commitments and overseas travel often causing buyers and sellers to put their plans on hold. This year, however, prolonged hot weather appears to have added to the seasonal slowdown.

August does not have to be a quiet month for your property search. With the right financial preparation and viewing strategy, summer buyers can uncover opportunities others may miss.

Britain’s ongoing housing shortage has once again come under the spotlight, with new research highlighting that the issue is not one of demand or land availability—but rather decades of underbuilding.