THE spring housing market is heating up and activity has been buzzing.

And while a recent stamp duty increase for buy-to-let investors may have dampened some interest in the market, house sellers remain bullish.

The average price tag on a property coming to market now stands at an all-time high of over £307,000 across England and Wales, according to website Rightmove.

The new rates of stamp duty apply to purchases of additional properties in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

In Scotland, stamp duty has been replaced by another tax - the land and buildings transaction tax.

A similar hike in this tax has also come into force in Scotland on the purchase of additional homes such as second homes or buy-to-let properties, to mirror the changes in the rest of the UK.

A separate report, from HSBC, shows that the average home buyer takes just 26 hours to decide to make an offer on a house purchase - perhaps fearing that with the supply of homes still tight, the home they have their eye on may be snapped up by someone else.

This 26-hour period is around the same amount of time we spend deciding on whether or not to buy a new pair of shoes - at 25 hours - according to HSBC's survey.

So with competition in the housing market still strong in many parts of the UK, how can would-be buyers give themselves an "edge"?

TV property expert Phil Spencer, a spokesman for the HSBC report, gives his tips...

:: Is it still possible to pick up a bargain in the current housing market - and if so, how can someone go about it?

"Yes it is still possible, but you need to put dedication into your research, contracts and really build knowledge about the housing market you're interested in."

:: Before someone makes an offer on a property, is there a financial check-list of things they should have got in place first?

"For your mortgage, you'll be asked for pay slips, bank statements and tax returns at least, so you might as well have them ready to go and don't leave them to the last minute."

:: How many visits to a property should you ideally make before putting an offer in?

"The new research from HSBC shows one in 10 people make up their minds in two minutes of visiting a property. Sometimes you need to follow your gut instinct, but it's also important to know what to look for when you're viewing and try to visit at least twice, at different times of the day."

:: What should people be looking out for when they view a property?

"Everything. You should be engaging your senses and switched on. Think about what feelings it gives you, what you see and smell.

"Predict what your life might be like in 18 months to two years times and ask: Will the house still accommodate you at that time?

"And remember, you can change most things in a property, but you can't change the amount of light the house gets, so see where the sun goes."

:: Is there anything that buyers can do to give themselves an "edge" over other buyers when making an offer?

"Time can make all the difference when it comes to making an offer on a property. Buyers should be efficient and make sure they have everything in place for their mortgage application.

"Secondly, it's not always about being the highest bidder - your ability to get your finances in a row and solicitors organised helps to show you are a committed purchaser. Buying a house is a business transaction and you are going to need to tackle it in this way."

:: How do you think the recent changes to stamp duty for buy-to-let investors will affect the housing market in the coming months?

"It's a bit 'wait and see' at the moment. The extra percentage of stamp duty will have more of an immediate effect, but the other changes will take some time."

:: Are there still decent opportunities in the housing market for people looking to make buy-to-let investment purchases?

"There are opportunities, however, in order to do well, you need to be more informed and strategic about the investment opportunities."

Meanwhile the "Bank of Mum and Dad" will help finance 25% of UK mortgage transactions this year, according to research.

Parents are set to lend their children £5 billion in order to help their children on to the property ladder.

If the lending power was of all these parents was combined, it would be a top 10 mortgage provider, the BBC said.

Nigel Wilson, chief executive of financial services firm Legal & General, which carried out the research, said the data showed a number of issues, including house prices being "out of sync with wages".

The research estimated that the Bank of Mum and Dad will provide deposits for more than 300,000 mortgages.

The homes purchased will be worth £77 billion and the average contribution is £17,500 or 7% of the average purchase price, the BBC said.

But relying on parental support might soon be unsustainable as parents could be giving away more than they can afford.

Mr Wilson said that in London the funding method was reaching "tipping point" already as parental contributions made up more than 50% of the wealth (excluding property) of the average household in the capital.

He said: "The Bank of Mum and Dad plays a vital role in helping young people to take their early steps on to the housing ladder."

Not all young people have parents who can afford to help them and some who do still do not have enough to buy a place of their own, he said.

He added: "We need to fix the housing market by revolutionising the supply side - if we build more houses, demand can be met at a sensible level and prices will stabilise relative to wages."