Reasons to be cheerful include a scarcity of supply and positive sentiment from buyers about the relative value of property, which has been enhanced by low interest rates and the scarcity of good property for sale.

Strutt and Parker predicts that some momentum will fall away in the run-up to the election and is advising those wishing to sell quickly and move on with their lives to bring their properties to the market without delay.

Michael Fiddes, head of national sales, said: "While the general election is likely to cause some nervousness in the marketplace and inevitably austere fiscal measures will be imposed by any incoming government, this more often than not is outweighed by the post-election hype of a new government.

"The question is how will this hiatus affect the market? I believe that the market will take all this in its stride and will take time to readjust to the changing economic conditions, but should in the main keep on an even keel, with forward momentum."

"Along with prime London homes Strutts predict the prime country house market would remain immune to any gloom and continue to rise by as much as five per cent, bringing prices closer to 2007 levels.

"In addition to this, family homes near centres of employment will continue to perform. Buy-to-let investors will be back in force this year.

"Although mortgages still remain difficult to obtain, yields are attractive for anyone with cash to invest, especially when compared to alternative investments."

The year 2009 was a year of welcome surprises, following the collapse of Lehman Brothers. There were reports of apocalyptic scenarios for the housing market in 2009 but the reality was that the market improved in the spring, and by summer was trading at peak 2007 levels in some areas, leaving the doom-mongers somewhat disappointed.

Philip James, of their Sevenoaks office added: "At the higher end of the country house market and prime central London, modest tax rises and public spending cuts are unlikely to affect those buyers that have capital invested in their homes and linked to the stock market which although still volatile is not unduly unhealthy.

"For this sector of the market life goes on, children grow up and people downsize, families need bigger houses, people move to be closer to schools, people retire etc," added James.

"Demand will therefore still very much be there."