Fewer than 20,000 houses were sold between July and September, the lowest number in that quarter for almost a decade, according to official figures.
Sales dipped 2.1% during the second quarter of 2012-13 compared with the same period the previous year, with a total of 19,868 homes sold.
The average price of a home dropped 2.3% in the period, compared with the previous year, taking the cost of a residential property to £159,310.
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