Rics said it appears that the cautious recovery in prices seen in some parts of the UK has not yet translated to the Scottish market.
Chris Highton, of Allied Surveyors in the Borders, said: "The market seems to have started with a bit of a flourish after the Christmas break, with replacement home reports being instructed and new properties coming to the market, however prices still remain subdued in most cases."
Greg Davidson, from Graham and Sibbald in Perth, told the survey there had been "some positive market activity already in 2013 as the new year brings a fresh appetite".
The responses and statistics were contained in Rics' UK Housing Market Survey for January.
Looking at the prospects for the UK as a whole, the survey stated: "The near term outlook is a little mixed but the medium term view is rather more positive. Indeed, sales are expected to improve at the three-month horizon but prices are expected to remain flat. However, both measures are positive at the 12-month horizon."
