I was reading The Times Online property section the other day and in particular an article regarding estate agents views on the UK property market. I felt there was some honest, realistic insight given and not the usual "everything is roses" rhetoric usually associated with agent commentary. What I couldn´t believe was how negative the comments were below the post. It is almost like people don´t want to accept any positive signs in the market and certainly not from anybody within the property sector.

Don´t get me wrong this is a reccession unlike any other in my living memory and there are still many negative indicators within the economy as a whole, but we should all remember that people still need housing! There is a current spate of speculation from well seasoned experienced investors looking to pick up distressed real estate on the cheap, but I believe there is also pent up demand from first time buyers who are frustrated with the current lending restrictions.

Not all estate agents are soley interested in lying about market conditions in order for them to make more sales, many have a plethora of experience and access to mountains of year on year figures at their disposal, allowing them to give some insightful market information to prospective buyers. I appreciate that is not the case across the board, but I think dismissing the opinion of respected real estate industry managers is a mistake, the key is to aggregate as many resources as possible before making any decisions.

I can remember reading an article in a broadsheet in 2000 telling everyone that the housing boom was over and we should liquidate assets and run for the hills, we all started worrying and it became the topic of every dinner party or gathering I attended. The market continued to rise for another 7 years! I do think there will continue to be some unpredictable patterns on the road to recovery, so if you need to buy a house excercise caution, do your homework and also listen to reputable industry opinion!