The best time of year to buy and sell property is the subject of much debate - but one national estate agency chain is convinced that September is the ideal time to make a move.

Kevin Shaw, national sales director at Leaders, says September is an extremely busy time for estate agents, with a significant spike in enquiries from both buyers and sellers.

There is also evidence of a hike in the number of visitors to online property portals, including Leaders’ own website which enjoyed a 23 per cent increase during September 2016.

These are the three reasons why Leaders think now is the ideal time to put your property up for sale:

1) Summer is (almost) over…

Kevin says: “Some people put off their moving plans during the summer holidays, instead using this time to think about their next step and making decisions about when and where to buy. This typically results in a surge of buyers to the market in September – and sellers who anticipate this increase by putting their property on the market now can take advantage of high demand.”

2) The dream of Christmas in a brand new home

“Buyers and sellers who come to the market in September are likely to complete their transaction and move to a new home in time for Christmas,” Kevin says. “Are you looking for a bigger home to accommodate all the family this festive season? Or maybe you just want to be settled by the end of the year? Either way, selling now is crucial to realising your aim.”

3) Ideal moving weather

“The highs of summer and the lows of winter weather can put many people off the idea of viewing properties and preparing to move. That’s why autumn and spring are often so popular, offering an ideal opportunity to welcome viewers to your home in comfortable conditions at a time when properties and gardens are still looking great.”

Leaders is hosting a special Open House event on September 23 in which it will welcome buyers to a huge selection of properties across the country. This is designed to provide people with the perfect opportunity to sell this September, with open houses resulting in 80 per cent of sellers receiving more than one offer.

For more information contact your local Leaders branch or visit leaders.co.uk.