First-time buyer Caroline Taylor, from Ashton-under-Lyne, had always set the milestone of buying her first home by the time she was 30.
“One I put an offer on I rang up straight away and even then I was 1 of 16 viewers.
“I was advised someone went in with a crazy higher offer and the property wouldn’t even sell for that as the survey would knock it down…
“It’s like people that can afford to are playing a game.
It’s an experience Shelly Stevens, 43, is having too.
She says: “I was told my offer was accepted on a house and less than 24 hours later the estate agent called and asked for best and final offer.
You can put a property on the market anywhere in South Manchester and if it’s a reasonable property you can have 5-10 serious buyers vying for it.
“Probably 70 per cent of properties are now going to sealed bids.
Maurice says that the end of the Stamp Duty holiday in July may serve to slow the market.
He adds: “In the more affluent areas it’s buyers, not investors competing for properties.
For those selling and buying there were further frustrations.
The Government has said that 345,000 new homes are needed in England each year to supply demand, but in 2019/20 new homes only increased by 244,000.