2008 was a dreadful year for the housing market, but we are on our way out of the doldrums and all have hopes for a rosy future.

It is very fair to say that the current economic situation was centred in America, but that our Banks are as much to blame as anyone else and now we are all paying the price.

2009 saw a return to some form of stability but, and let's face the facts here, it was a pretty bleak year for us all.

Most specifically, the housing market was in the worst state that I have ever experienced in my career, which started in the early 1970's. I have experienced a number of recessionary periods in the housing market, and this was undoubtedly the worst.

I sincerely hope that I won't experience this situation again, in my lifetime.

Now is a decent time to buy if you can sell your own home and are moving upmarket.

Sellers remain keen to keep their sale going and they will negotiate further on the bid price at a late stage.

The very best way of achieving this is to commission a competent and capable Chartered Surveyor to prepare a private Survey Report which will detail matters of condition and disrepair and assess value on a condition basis, as well as taking into account the current appalling state of the market.

80% of our private survey Clients during 2008 re-negotiated the purchase price after receiving their private Survey Report.

In the current market, a survey fee is money well spent.

If you don't have your own home, this could be the best year to make the move. House prices have fallen but they will go up again. That's what happened in the past and there is no reason why the future will be different. 

Anyone with the ability to raise a mortgage will be able to drive hard bargains.

Finding a loan will be tough. 

Despite the previous government suggesting(!) that the Banks lend to keep the housing market moving, their Balance Sheets are so skewed that they are making excuses not to do so.

Thinking of your moving? 

Do it now, or you could be be kicking yourself in a couple of years time.