Brighton's property market is hotting up, but buyers face less competition than elsewhere in the South East.

City properties are being chased by an average of two to three potential buyers, but a Bradford and Bingley survey suggests the nationwide average is seven.

However, the high demand for property has led to some deals being completed within three weeks, compared with a nationwide average of 11.

Up to 19 buyers are chasing certain properties in parts of the South East but Bradford and Bingley in central Brighton says just six people competed for their most popular home, a seafront property.

Senior branch manager Andrew Gow said: "A lot of people want to come down and enjoy the rest of the summer with the election out of the way, interest rates good and a feeling of optimism about. We are seeing a lot of people buying second homes here.

"Things have picked up in the last six to eight weeks and we are getting a lot more viewings.

"More properties are going under offer with homes taking four to six weeks to sell on average. One-bedroom flats under £95,000 are walking out of the shop to first time buyers.

"But we are not experiencing anything like 11 people competing for a property, although we can see signs of a ripple effect coming in from the very competitive areas like London and Surrey."

The most sought-after areas remain the seafront, North Laine and Kemp Town.