Lulu Egerton, director of Lane Fox's London division, says, 'Buyerscertainly have the money at the moment but they are most certainly shoppingaround.' The brisk business reported for the first three months of the yearhas not spilled over into the second quarter and Lane Fox's report pointsout some remarkable statistics: a third and fourth floor maisonette inCheyne Place with a roof terrace overlooking Chelsea Physic Garden, had 102viewings before achieving the asking price of £1.175 million ($1,65 million). A three bedroom housein Bywater Street is still on the market at £1.05 million ($1.48 million) after 96 viewings while asix bedroom family house in Neville Street, SW7, has just been placed underoffer at £3.25 million ($4.94 million) after 59 viewings.

'There are some excellent houses and flats on the market,' says Egerton,'but this high level of choice combined with indecision based on anxietyabout the state of the stock market, forthcoming bonuses and job securityhas certainly slowed down the rate of sales.'