THE domestic property market in Huntingdonshire may be starting to pick up after four years in the doldrums.

Hunts-based estate agent Sharman Quinney, which has 17 branches in Cambridgeshire and neighbouring counties, has reported record sales results in each of the last three months, June, July and August. Other agents have seen similar levels of activity.

Sharman Quinney branches recorded greater sales per branch across Cambridgeshire, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire than at any time since July 2007, the firm said.

Improvements in sales were shown to extend across all offices, locations and property types, with the greatest improvement revealing itself in the middle market price band.

“Following a record-breaking month in June, results for July went one step further as teams across the region recorded the highest monthly number of sales since May 2007, showing an astounding 44 per cent increase on results from July 2010,” a spokesman said.

The lettings side of the business has also announced record-breaking results. In July, it recorded the highest number of properties let since opening.

“I am delighted with our recent success, not least because it shows activity is increasing for sellers,” said company founder and managing director Mike Sharman.

Sector guru Simon Bradbury, of Thomas Morris in Huntingdon, said he could understand his rivals’ optimism, but said he was “confused” by the market’s current behaviour.

“I’m finding the market plain weird,” he said. “We have branches that are having very high, even record, results and others that are not doing so well. But we have gone from very high volumes of viewings recently to last weekend, which was very quiet except in St Ives.

“And the numbers of unique visitors on the web have not changed since February. The figures are very strange – I don’t mind admitting to being confused.”