According to Zoopla, almost a third of homes currently for sale are without a chain, as buyers want to act quickly before stamp duty increases in April.

The real estate website found that 32 percent of homes currently for sale are being marketed without a chain.

Unchained refers to a property that is not dependent on the seller finding another place to live before it can be sold.

These sales are generally less likely to fail or be delayed.

Stamp duty rush: A week after the autumn budget, buyer inquiries for chain-free homes are 33% higher than those not advertised as chain-free, Zoopla finds

Most real estate transactions are often linked to a chain of other buyers and sellers. All are linked and if one sale fails or is delayed, the others are impacted.

Izabella Lubowiecka, senior real estate researcher at Zoopla, says: “There are several reasons why a house might be chain-free.

“Individuals can sell an inherited home, households can move in together, going from two homes to one, or investors and second homeowners can sell additional properties.

“Now is a great time to search for properties, with more chain-free homes available than in previous months.”

Jeremy Leaf, a north London estate agent and former chairman of Rics Residential, says he is seeing more investors selling at the moment.

He says: “This is mainly due to tax and regulatory issues and the imminent introduction of the Tenants’ Rights Bill, which will make it more difficult to remove disruptive tenants, rather than fears of an increase in capital gains tax.

“Buying a property without a chain reduces the risk of issues with dependent transactions during the conveyancing process, such as low appraisal, poor survey or change of mind for work or other reasons .”

Buyers are in a hurry to buy before their stamp duty bills rise from April 1 next year, making chain-free homes an attractive proposition.

As of April 1 of next year, tThe price at which stamp duty starts to be charged will come back to £300,000 for first-time buyersfrom its current level of £425,000.

For first-time buyers, this could mean paying no stamp duty on a purchase worth £425,000 instead. they will soon pay £6,205.

But the costs are even higher for any first-time buyer purchasing a property worth between £425,000 and £625,000.

A first-time buyer buying a house worth £625,000 currently pays £10,000 in stamp duty. But from April 1, this amount will increase to £21,250, an increase of £11,250.

While affordability remains a concern for many first-time buyers, it is encouraging to see that 41% of two-bedroom homes are currently listed as chain-free on Zoopla.

Movers are also not immune to stamp duty changes. The threshold at which they start paying tax increases from £250,000 to £125,000.

This means anyone buying a property over £125,000 will pay up to £2,500 more in stamp duty.

Zoopla claims that a week after the budget, chain-free homes are attracting more interest than homes not advertised as chain-free, with listing visits seeing an average increase of 9 per cent and an average increase of 33 per cent buyer requests.

More investors and second home owners are also believed to be looking to sell due to changes to the way second homes are taxed. These properties are generally stringless.

From April 2025, municipalities will be able to charge an increase of up to 100% in additional council tax on second homes, a factor that second home owners will take into account when deciding whether to sell or sell. purchase.

Caught in a Chain: Most real estate sales are linked together, with buyers and sellers all relying on each other to make their purchase or sale successful.

Matt Thompson, sales manager at Chestertons, said: “We have seen a marked increase in the number of house hunters looking for a chain-free property.

“Most non-chain buyers have been renting for a while and are able to move quickly.

“While there has been a slight increase in the number of non-chain properties listed for sale since the autumn budget, demand still outstrips supply, creating a competitive market environment.”

However, while buying without a chain may save on the cost of stamp duty, they could end up paying more overall – as sellers can usually get a higher price on a house without a chain.

“Listing a property without a chain may indeed attract more buyers to make an offer; especially those who are keen to move as soon as possible.

“Due to the increased demand for such properties, sellers often demand a premium of anywhere from 3 to 7 percent, depending on the location and general condition of the property.”

Based on average house price of £294,000. according to the latest Halifax House Price Index, this could mean paying a premium of between £8,820 and £20,580 for a chain-free home.