Even though homebuyers in Bucks are spoilt for choice with far more houses and flats for sale than a year ago, properties are taking a heck of a lot longer to sell.

According to the surveyors’ professional body the current state of the property market across the whole of the UK is out of kilter. It needs rebalancing.

Nearly half the members of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors who responded to the latest RICS housing market survey are hoping the Chancellor will use his Autumn Statement on October 29 to make changes to stamp duty and council tax to kick start what is an important part of the UK economy.

Over 20 per cent of respondents suggested tax incentives are needed to encourage downsizers to upsticks.

A RICS spokesman said previous efforts to free up larger properties by encouraging elderly owners to give up the family home were “to no avail.”

They had fallen on deaf ears.

A more enticing incentive was needed such as making smaller properties free of stamp duty when they are being bought by owners selling larger homes.

Removing stamp duty altogether and adjusting council tax rates to account for lost revenue was regarded as a viable option by nearly two out of ten of those who took part in the survey.

”Anecdotally respondents suggested scrapping stamp duty would shift the burden away from the transactional phase and onto occupation, freeing up funds in the buying process.”

Abdul Choudhury, RICS policy manager, says he can see pros and cons in interfering with the present system although he concedes: “It is not surprising that our professionals feel that residential property taxation is out of kilter.

“If we consider tax in terms of how they disincentivise certain behaviours, SDLT (stamp duty land tax) makes purchasing, moving and making more effective use of stock costly at a time when we need all these things.

“Council taxes on the other hand are woefully out of date and are highly politicised.

“Any changes to the tax system should be considered carefully as they would have disruptive consequences that could negatively impact activity.

“Providing exemption for downsizers could free up larger underused properties but will likely provide them with a market advantage over other participants.

“Similarly replacing SDLT with council tax could increase house buying and selling activity but increase day-to-day living costs at a time when occupiers are already facing higher bills.”

Figures supplied by online housing market analyst home.co.uk showed all types of properties in Bucks are taking longer to sell than a year ago, even though there are more on the market.

Here are the results at a glance:

Flats: 41 per cent more on the market: October 2017: 1,469 for sale, average time on market: 136 days.

October 2018: 2064 for sale, average time on market: 146 days (seven per cent increase).

Terraced: 12 per cent more on the market: October 2017: 943 for sale, average time on market: 97 days.

October 2018: 1059 for sale, average time to sell: 120 days (24 per cent increase).

Semis: 22 per cent more on the market: October 2017: 1725 for sale, average time on market: 103 days. October 2018: 2110 for sale, average time on market: 119 days (16 per cent increase).

Detached: 25 per cent more on the market: October 2017: 2397 for sale, average time to sell: 134 days.

October 2018: 2986 for sale, average time on the market: 144 days (seven per cent increase).

Data on the home.co.uk website is updated every day.

These were the forecasts for the likely time to sell when properties for sale in Bucks were grouped according to price this week.

No comparative figures were available for the same day last year.

These were the results on Monday:

Houses priced at £1m and over: 697 for sale: likely time to sell: 201 days.

Homes priced £500,000-£1m: 2,106 for sale: likely time to sell: 141 days.

Homes priced £400,000-£500,000: 1,221 for sale: likely time to sell: 122 days.

Homes priced £300,000-£400,000: 1,777 for sale: likely time to sell: 112 days.

Homes priced £200,000-£300,000: 2,073 for sale: likely time to sell: 126 days.

Homes priced £100,000-£200,000: 775 for sale: likely time to sell: 131 days.