With the property market undergoing what may be a necessary correction at present, house prices have been coming down across the country, which may create some new opportunities in different parts of the housing sector, since prices rose across the board in the boom years and may accordingly be lower now.

But what of the top end of the market? According to Country Life, even this has been affected in places. For example, in the stockbroker bolt around Esher, Cobham and Weybridge, there has been significant movement, meaning that this part of the country - despite its association with city-generated wealth - is still included in the recent market shift.

According to local estate agent Tim Garbett, this is a reason for the slowdown in sales in the exclusive St George's Hill area of Weybridge, where half of buyers come from overseas. Yet, he noted, there are definitely still deals being done, albeit with prices as much as 15 to 20 per cent down, with any homes that are less than ideal remaining on the market for some time.

All this adds up to a buyer's market and those keen on acquiring their dream home in Surrey and have the means – credit crunch or not – to do so may be in a better position to find that perfect home than ever before. This could mean somewhere with a swimming pool, tennis courts, a cellar or some other desirable feature.

But how long will such a trend last in Surrey, or any of the other home counties? One general trend noted by the Land Registry of late is for the southern counties to see larger falls in house prices than northern ones. In September only three of the other nine regions of England and Wales saw larger price falls than the south-east and in August it was only two.

Of course, these price figures concern the whole region including towns and countryside, small terraces and mansions. But the overall effect may be a consequence of the geographical variations in the price correction, as well as regional differences in the mode of market correction, at least initially.

So how should one go about making the most of the opportunities out there? The Daily Telegraph has produced its own set of guidelines, with ensuring that the property is affordable coming top of the list. But there is more. Position, price and perfection have been listed as the three P's that matter most now for a home, with those houses that are lacking in any way often having bigger discounts – something perhaps for buyers to be wary of.

Of course, there are areas many would not wish to go – such as that of gazumping and gazundering – since these are widely condemned practices that, in addition to being unethical, may only serve to put the seller off a transaction and therefore reduce the flow of movement that the market needs. Refusing to countenance these approaches may earn more than just goodwill for buyers but also help them clinch deals. Indeed, the paper noted that those who do undertake such actions often blow their chances of getting the house they were after as a result.

But for all these tips, the broad point remains. For those looking for that top end house, be it in Surrey, London or elsewhere across the country, the chances are that the price will be much more favourable than it was a few months ago.