Estate agents have put up asking prices in an attempt to take advantage of the traditional new year surge in activity. According to the property website Rightmove prices rose by 2.3% this month, the biggest increase since June. Analysts predicted that prices are set to rise over the next few months after a seasonal drop in activity. However surveys also showed that buyer demand has dropped. Miles Shipside, commercial director of Rightmove, said: “Some sellers and estate agents are unable to shake off ingrained spring boom mentality of recent years. But this year is not typical and the laws of supply and demand don’t suggest that higher prices are sustainable.”