good luck the only person to write any sense on the housing market will miss your articles

stephen carter, wakefield, england

The falls everybody are mentioning here are all quite clearly newbuild flats. They were never worth what was being paid for them and as the BBC have documented, this is fraud, not price falls.

In everything I have read in the papers, the examples show how much the average mortgage holder coming to an end of a fix is going to have to pay £100 a month extra. It ignores the fact that this has not risen for 2,3 or 5 years... not a very big uplift and very affordable.

The credit crunch will reduce new houses being built, there is a housing shortfall, if houseprices aren't rsing, RENTS WILL.

Rents look to be rising at 15% per year, this may continue for 5 years, thus rents could double in 5 years, on an £800 a month flat that is an £800 increase, much more than the £100 increase for homeowners. I think that this could be a time where FTB's are put off buying, Landlords buy cheaply, rents rocket and FTB's can no longer save....... This could be FTB's last chance to buy!

Mat, Sussex,

Merryn

Good luck in the future, and thanks for illuminating that part of the financial landscape few else could see, mainly because they didn't want to see.

I am sure that somewhere, sometime, we will be hearing from you again......

I suspect many hope so!

Maybe an update in a couple of years time about a "cash on the nail" property purchase perhaps?

Here's hoping - and not just for you :)

Andy, Bath,

All the best and good luck for the furture, I really enjoyed your articles as I tried to understand more about the markets and investments. Good Luck. Ross (Glasgow)

Ross McEachern, Glasgow, UK

So many economists and financial commentators only state the obvious on a current situation. Merryn however was refreshing in her approach giving a commonsense approach to the likely consequences of a given situation. In particular I like her take on the property market - where others have concentrated to much on the simplistic argument of supply and demand of housing. Rather than the supply and demand of credit / the ratio between average income and average house prices - most seeming to miss the basic link with affordability. I would further argue that many financial institutions have fueled the housing market boom in prices by their own greed in acquiring a larger market share (Northern Rock being a prime example) to the detriment of the long term stability of the market and the average person. The good thing about markets though is they tend to correct themselves very effectively over time.

John Jones, Nottingham, England

It's a shame this is MSW's last article. She's the only reason I used to buy the times, and the only one who dared to tell the truth about the great UK property scam. I wish her well.

Julian, London,

You column was a refreshing opinion in a press dominated by blinkered and vested entities.
Well written, informative and entertaining observations, and most importantly - accessible!
I have to admit, your scathing attack on the state of the UK and its heavy reliance/obsession with the housing market was a shock to many, a bet a needed one, to wake them from their apathy of ignorance.
As a regular reader, ST is losing a very valued and much read columnist.
Well done and best wishes on your bright future.

steveo, Ireland,

Thank you Merryn for everyone of your excellent articles.
I have read them every sunday now for a long long time.
Sometimes i have ignored your advice, to my peril and at other time taken your advice, to my joy.
I for one, will certainly be signing the 'bring back Merryn petition'
I wish you and your family lots of happiness.

Brian D'Rozario, Antwerpen, Belgium

I have really enjoyed your articles. I have found your perspecuity in analysing events over the years so stimulating. I am going to miss you!

Peter Fox , Seville, Andalucia

Come back! I miss youalready! What will we do for sense? How can e find out what you`re thinking??

Paul Willis, Wolves, England

The house price fall may be a little sooner and a little steeper than suggested. These things seem to take on a life of their own when sentiment is so negative and the fundamentals are not there - ie - cheap and easy money and very expensive property. Already there are pockets of extreme falls - ie £269 K luxury flats in Manchester now going for £80 - £100 K. Leeds and Liverpool are in the same situation. The falls can not be far off now.

David Nammory, Liverpool,

Its a shame that it is your last article. In the short-term we may well see the real value of properties as only mortgage-free cash purchasers will be able to buy, which will not benefit the BTL brigade whose mortgage pyramids will have collapsed. In the medium term, lending will gradually return but needs to be more tighly regulated.

Paul, Coventry,

I live in Germany. The first thing I read on Sunday is your column. I am sure many will miss you sensible advice. Time to start a 'bring back Merryn' petition!

Roger Cook, Wiesbaden, Germany

This is an excellent article and sums up what I have been trying to say on ww.co.thisismoney.co.uk.The trouble is some people are not listening.You forgot to mention the £1.4 treillion debt mountain and the 2% inflation target.I think that this is a VERY BIG problem for the UK economy.

stephen hulton, eure, france

I, like yourself have been parping on about the impending financial doom that this wreckless lending will eventually bring.

Hopefully something will be learnt from it for the next generation........

Alan F, channel islands,

Merryn
you are right.
the problem is that the common people do not understand economics and financial leverage, two key concepts that have been preached completely wrong by those parties with huge vested interests who have inflated this bubble:
- the estate agents (economics: the small island, the singletons, the students, immigration etc)
- the mortgage brokers (it is a new era, shelve that salary multiple, what really matter is affordability)
- the banks (we only originate loans, and dispose of them in the fixed income market a minute later)
- the "property economists", these are a mix of characters like Fionnuala Earley, Diana Choleya, of uncertain background whose job has been to fabricate a theory to explain the endlessly rising prices, feeding this lunacy to the VIs above

Well, all that is ending, my main question is what are all these people gonna do for a living next?

George W, Chelsea,

Thanks for your guidance and contrarian opinion over the years Merryn. These days, you're not so contrarian - everyone has become a bear now that the crash is unquestionably underway.

I'm glad to have listened to my own judgement and that of a few people like yourself. I can continue sitting on the sidelines, saving my pennies while prices come down to realistic levels, then finally, I will buy my first property in the UK.

What a relief for the UK's 20, 30 and 40 somethings.

Jake Brumby, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire

The other thing is the whole streets of unsold new flats from the major developers. how can they stay in business and sell only a few units in some of their overpriced developments per year? the answer is through re-financing with their banks on huge scale.. now that no more money is avaliable they will either have to drop their prices big way or go under or both...

andrew, edinburgh,