There's been a surprising upturn for this time of year at my weekend job/hobby selling houses. Generally, come mid-October, the market dies down as people start to gear up for Christmas, but it's got really busy lately and it's taken everyone by surprise.

Speaking to my counterparts in other agencies, it's something that's being reciprocated around much of the country too - and because there are more buyers about, we're finding it easier to persuade householders that phone to enquire about the state of the market, to put their properties up for sale.

I'm wondering whether it's down to the fact that much of the year has been taken up either anticipating, watching or even taking part in the Diamond Jubilee, the Olympic Games or the Paralympics, or perhaps it's just because we've finally got used to being in recession (just as the figures say we're out of it!) and are feeling a bit gung ho about the whole thing... I just don't know.

But it appears that it's not just the housing market that's been affected, for if the latest newsletter from the UK Kitchen Bathroom Bedroom Specialists Association is anything to go by, house refurbishment projects are on the increase too with lots of new kitchens and bathrooms being sold by Association members.

Bearing in mind that generally the first thing new occupants want to change when they move into a new property is the bathroom and then the kitchen, this has to be good news all round, as what appears to be a brief upturn for the KBB market will surely continue into the Christmas period and beyond as sales of the houses now coming to market complete over the coming months and the new occupants start to put their stamp on them.

Good luck everyone!

Jan Hobbs