Waterlogged homes may not be at the top of the pile as far as property sales go but estate agents say it's not all doom and gloom.

Jeremy Prideaux-Jackson, from Andrew Grants estate agents, said in the short-term, riverside properties would be more difficult to sell.

"However, these are exceptional circumstances and hopefully more defences will be put in place in the future," he said.

"We must bear in mind that for 50 weeks of the year the settings are idyllic and the vibrancy of towns like Upton will continue to attract purchasers.

"Insurance has raised its head as an issue but they should not be allowed to cherry-pick the safer areas to insure. I also believe that there are sensor systems that can seal up properties against water so there are things that can be done," said Mr Prideaux-Jackson.

"I think there will be a proportion of homeowners who may want to sell to get away from the floods but at the end of the day the properties are only affected for a short period of time," he said.