The number of first-time buyers (FTBs) purchasing Bristol property may have fallen, new figures suggest.
According to the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA), the proportion of such people looking to get a house or flat reached its lowest level for a year last month.
In November, 19 per cent of registered buyers were FTBs, the organisation found.
Gary Smith, president of the NAEA - which claims to have around 10,000 members - suggested that the drop in interest was predictable.
He stated: "Any tax holidays result in a distortion in the market and, in the case of stamp duty, needed to [be] carefully managed and phased out, rather than falling off a cliff."
Because FTBs often form the foundation of selling chains, there could be industry-wide implications, he added.
The stamp duty holiday for homes worth up to £175,000, which was introduced by the government in response to the credit crunch, is due to stop at the end of this month.
