Rightmove boasts record visitors - graduate jobs

Property website Rightmove has revealed a record number of people are using its website, as buyers consider their options amid uncertain market conditions.

The increase in visitors contrasts sharply with property transaction figures, which are currently running at half their usual level. Commentators have voiced their concerns that the housing market could be headed for a double dip.

The group reported a 16% increase in the number of pages viewed between July and September, compared with the same period in 2009. August was its second busiest month since the website's inception.

Rightmove explained it had benefited from the current 'wait and see' approach adopted by many buyers, with people nervous about taking the plunge taking longer to research properties online.

It has also been boosted by a rise in the number of people selling their homes, saying potential sellers often viewed its site for several months before putting their home on the market to see how quickly properties in their area were selling and how much their home was worth.