The housing market showed signs of recovering from a ''summer lull'' in August, according to the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA).

Figures for the month showed that estate agents had seen an increase in the number of people registering their interest to buy a home, with the average agent having 326 would-be-homeowners on their books, compared to July''s figure of 314.

However, the organisation also reported that it took longer to sell homes in August than it did in July and highlighted a growing gap between what sellers are asking for a property and at what price it is eventually sold for.

Stewart Lilly, the president of the NAEA, said: "The latest figures indicate that a period of low house price inflation may well be on its way. However, the recent introduction of the second phase of Hips is likely to cause more disruption and in particular prompt a ''wait and see'' strategy from individuals who are unsure about the full impact of the legislation."

The figures offer another ray of hope to agents after yesterday''s Building Societies Association research which claimed that UK consumers are confident in the housing market and would remain so even if property values fell.