Well-established Manchester-based firm Ryder and Dutton, which came to Wakefield in December 2006, has shut down its Northgate branch and made two members of staff redundant.

West Yorkshire sales director James White said the company had written to all its clients last week notifying them of the closure and that Manning Stainton had agreed to help with the transfer of their stock.

He also said the properties were still available on the website Rightmove.

Some clients have chosen to stay with Ryder and Dutton and deal with the Huddersfield branch instead.

Mr White said: “We are very grateful to Manning Stainton for their help in the transfer.”

He said the decision to close the Wakefield branch was made as trading conditions in the city had become more challenging and the lease on the office was due to run out at the end of the year.

Mr White said: “We find it more difficult in Wakefield and our opinion is that the prices in Wakefield have become too closely aligned with some of the Leeds suburbs.

“Values in Wakefield have always been lower than Leeds and now the market has turned they are less attractive to buyers from Leeds.

“According to the national media, the market is overvalued across the country. We’ve seen it in some of our other trading areas, where values have become aligned with the nearest big, or more expensive, city. When this has happened and the market has hardened, they’ve become almost impossible to sell.”

Mr White confirmed that there was no suggestion that Ryder and Dutton was closing down and that all other offices and departments within the company were unaffected.