Christmas festivities demand a lot from our homes and those found wanting as a result of additional social and/or domestic pressures often have a For Sale board come the New Year. This is verified by the steep rise in online searches for property, which can double during the festive holiday break. Sharon Donaldson, retail director of Slater Hogg & Howison and Countrywide, says: "The number of visitors looking for properties to rent or buy during the festive break increases sharply in the week between Christmas and New Year. Our advice to would-be sellers and landlords is to make the most of the seasonal spike and ensure your property is live online to capitalise on the interest. We want our customers to get off to a flying start in 2017 by listing now ahead of the rush."