Interest Rates: Just as we predicted last year, the interest rates have dropped again. Good for the general economy and good for us all eventually - The banks will probably pass on that drop in rates around midsummer. Interest rates will drop again in a moth or two.

The Market: We're confident of an improving market for 2008. In this part of the country, prices have hardly ever stopped rising - elsewhere they are backsliding a bit so that the national figure is about minus 4% per annum. This is more by way of a correction to the market differential. After all, this area is the engine room of Great Britain (are we allowed to say GREAT Britain still?)

Availability: The market's building up again... This Spring saw us with RECORD LEVELS of property on our books and this makes it a good time to move: even though our strangely Scottish government is taxing us with Stamp Duty on every house sale. Its a good job we've discovered a way to reduce Stamp Duty at the top end.

HIP's: Sad to say they're here to stay - as long as we have this interfering goverment. If you're selling, you'll need a HIP. Question: How many people have asked to see one of our HIPs? Answer at bottom of page

How's it selling?  Not TOO badly, Thankyou! This is an extremely good time to be moving! WE HAVE NOW OVER A HUNDRED BUYERS WHO DO NOT NEED TO SELL. People who are either cash, or have already sold. After all, they're the kind of buyer YOU'D want, aren't they?

Offers: We're always nagging our vendors to ask a reasonable price - because they'll get it. Full price or close to it; and we often get what we're asking. Even on this buyers' market, you'll be pleasantly surprised what we can actually achieve, as opposed to the empty promises you may have heard elsewhere!

Volume: The volume of our sales has been very good lately - because we're getting an ever greater profile AND being asked further and further afield and more upmarket - not just Virginia Water these days! More and more people are asking for Richard Stubbs to deal with their property in the surrounding towns and villages. The volume of sales is probably up throughout the region. SO WE ARE VERY KEEN TO TAKE ON MORE PROPERTY FOR SALE

Outlook: Its pretty good. Even the Government admits there's a shortage of homes. They want us to build 300,000 more in the South-East. There's not much chance of that, so prices will inevitably start going up again quite soon. Interest rates are still quite low and due to get lower, the desire for home-ownership is as strong as ever and this is a very sensible time to be moving on up, before they rise too high again.

Answer to question above: NONE! Not one single person in a whole year of the blessed HIP.