The residential property market has been boosted by new figures showing a rise in property search enquiries from would-be homebuyers.

Househunter numbers have hit their highest level in over five years as an influx of new buyers embarked on a property search.

The average number of people registering for a property search with an estate agent reached 314 in January, according to the latest data from the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA).

It marks an increase from 281 the previous month and is the highest figure since September 2007 when an average of 326 househunters was recorded.

There are also other encouraging figures for the residential property market contained in the new NAEA report.

The proportion of property sales made to first-time buyers increased in January as that section of the market reached its highest point in close to two years with 25% of overall property sales.

That marks a 4% increase from the previous month and is considered to be an encouraging sign in terms of the positive ripples that may be felt further up the residential property market.

As levels of demand increased and more would be buyers started a property search, this in turn led to a rise in sales agreed from an average of five per estate agent branch to seven, the organisation said.

NAEA president Mark Hayward was notably upbeat in his assessment of the new housing market data: "These latest results reflect a wider upturn in the market at the start of what we hope will be a better year for UK property."

He said that "the strong number of enquiries" in January was an especially encouraging sign as it suggested that the financial obstacles facing potential homebuyers may now be diminishing.

Mortgage providers are increasingly considering innovative ways to help homebuyers get on the property ladder, he suggested.

"Strong financial results from some of the country's leading house builders this week suggest a growing confidence that some form of a recovery is beginning to take shape," Mr Hayward added.