Brighton''s property market could weather the current economic storm as large numbers of homeowners downsize and head to the coast.

The coastal town was the most searched for destination for prospective buyers in January, according to a study by propertyfinDer.com.

And experts say people have stopped "panic" selling, keeping property prices artificially low.

Charlie Snell, director of Brighton and Hove Family Homes, said: "We did have a period of a little bit of panic by sellers in the last couple of months with people thinking they had to sell otherwise the price was going to crash, but I think that this has now stabilised."

"Whatever happens elsewhere, downsizing and downshifting Londoners will move to Brighton, as we are seeing day in and day out," he added.

Property prices in Brighton have weathered the credit-crisis well with the average home going up in value by one per cent over the last year, according to home.co.uk.

And the price of a semi-detached property in the city has gone up by ten per cent to £315,000.

But the average number of sales in Brighton has dropped dramatically since March 2007, despite a slight increase in sales at the start of the year.