What an insightful article!
I loved the way in which it's full of evidence to back up it's assertions. Cash rich investors are absolutely falling over themselves to buy massively overpriced property and the statistics presented showed that beautifully - the times should be very proud of the writer!

mark, blackburn, UK

I hardly think first time buyers are standing by in frustration!. If they have any sense at all they will wait until the fall in house prices accelerates then stagnates.
And if investors are snapping up repossessions, why are fewer houses selling at auction, where such houses are usually sold?.

sophie smith, london,

Another preposterous article aimed at convincing us that collapsing house prices are somehow not good news for first time buyers. On this occasion, apparently thanks to feckless cash-rich investors determined to incinerate their wealth by investing into an imploding bubble. Risible.

Stephen, London, UK

Paul Coventry,
people in deep purple trouble are already on "interest only" mortgages, because they restructured the loan before the repossession order. An interest only mortgage has infinite duration, not just 40 years. "lessening the burden" exists only in Anne Ashworth's fertile imagination.

George, Richmond,

Wrong. There is a silver lining for first time buyers. Property prices are going down. That means first time buyers can buy a property cheaper than before. It does not matter whether the property has been repossessed or not.

Jake Brumby, Oxford, UK

If there really are any frustrated first time buyers now, they will be very happy in a few years time. That is when they will realise that being held out of the market for a while has saved them a fortune.

Alex, Reading,

From what I understand the figures you mention only include those facing repossesion orders from 1st charge holders i.e. the bank or building society that originally lent for the house purchase. Do they include the repossesion orders from 2nd charge holders who take much much tougher action?

Neill, Maidstone, Kent

What a clever article. Yes, all you cash-rich investors, you have a marvellous opportunity. Buy! Buy! Buy! Buy as much as you can possibly afford while the poor wannabe first-time proles just have to stand by and watch. Really - I mean it. Buy now before it's too late.

paul, Hampshire,

Well done LABOUR, another market you have interfered with and broken. HIPS is pure bureaucracy. The stamp duty increases are because you got greedy and failed to manage the economy. There is no point in having low interest rates when the tax burden is so high.

steve tea, manchester, cheshire

Of course today's number is much lower than in 1991. In your own words, 1991 was at the height of the previous crash. We are only at the beginning of the current house price crash. Let's talk again in January 2010.

Michael, Oxford,

Those struggling with mortgage payments should be allowed to extend the terms of their loan, from 25 to 40 years say. If this requires government legislation to *order* the banks and building societies to do so, then so be it, given all the cheap loans that they have had courtesy of us taxpayers.

Paul, Coventry,