The impact of the downturn is starting to feel very real. House prices and the housing market have been taking the knock for some time and that's affecting people.

I'm not a housing market expert, and I don't want to pretend to be one.

The housing market will get worse before it gets better.

Help for first time buyers and other housing market measures will be welcome.

There's not a big market out here for housing. You don't find what you need, but you find what you can handle and be comfortable in.

This increased housing market activity has clearly led to some recent firming in house prices, and there is undeniably a risk that prices could move sharply higher over the coming months.