It is ironic that as the property market slows and the buyers’ position becomes stronger, those buyers are proving bashful when it comes to making an offer. Perhaps they have yet to realise that the days are over when only the asking price would keep you in the frame; now vendors really are open to offers.

‘If you like a house that looks expensive in today’s market, don’t back off,’ says Henry Holland-Hibbert, Head of Strutt & Parker’s National Country House Department. ‘Remember that the price quoted for a property is a guide, not a retail price.

‘There are plenty of houses out there and quite a few buyers, but everyone’s confidence has been knocked by the credit crunch and the economic slowdown. At the moment the market is threatening to stagnate because buyers are nervous of making the first move. Making an offer gets the ball rolling by starting a dialogue. It may not be accepted, but it will at least kick-start the buying process.’

As for vendors whose property is languishing, a relaunch may be the answer says Michael Fiddes of the Davies Street office. This means repositioning the property in the market by rethinking the price and readvertising. But there’s no point running the same campaign again; the key to a successful relaunch is lateral thinking – reaching out to new buyers, repackaging your property.

Setting the correct guide price is vital is you are to target the correct level of the market. ’Don’t make a derisory reduction,’ says Holland-Hibbert. ‘Be bold and aim at an entirely different level to attract new buyers. If the market has fallen by ten per cent and you cut your asking price by ten per cent, you are still operating at the same level in which you have been unsuccessful up to now. So there’s no point reducing the price from say £950,000 to £925,000; go for £850,000 and snare a whole new buyer bracket. You can then approach a new sale price from underneath, attracting enough interest to boost the final price.

‘When it comes to marketing, don’t reuse the same old photographs and descriptions. If they haven’t worked so far, they probably won’t work in the future, so repetition is pointless. New pictures will make a property look fresh to the market – pictures taken in the spring underline the fact that a property has been on the market for several months. Rewriting the particulars gives you the chance to refocus your property’s appeal. For example, instead of itemising three bedrooms, dressing room and play-room, state simply “five bedrooms”.

‘Finally, do remember to keep the outside looking presentable. Potential buyers will make a point of driving past before making an appointment to view, and if the driveway is untidy or the paintwork shabby they could be put off before they ever contact us. It’s an effort when your property has been on the market for a long time, especially at this time of year, when leaves are falling and borders are looking tired, but it really is worth keeping the gravel raked and the beds weeded.’