Confidence 'returning to market'

My Account
Logout

Create an Evening Standard Account

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Welcome! Sign in here

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Forgot your password ?

Registration

* indicates fields that are mandatory

Email *

Password *

Confirm Password *

First name *

Surname *

Postcode *

Country *

Mobile phone number

Username *

Gender *

Year of birth *

When you sign up...

You will have access to all our online competitions, discounted offers and can post comments on our site.

You will also receive The Weekender newsletter sent every Thursday - it’s full of fantastic offers and ideas for the weekend. You can update your email preferences in your account page when you log in.

Other newsletters and emails

Homes & Property Newsletter - Yes I want to receive the weekly email with all the latest news on property in the capital

Occasionally we would also like to send you relevant emails detailing specific offers either from ourselves or carefully selected partners. If you would prefer not to receive these then please tick the appropriate boxes below. We will never pass on your details.

I do not want to receive additional offers and information from the Evening Standard

I do not want to receive additional offers and information sent by Evening Standard on behalf of carefully selected partners

Terms and Conditions

* I have read, understood and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of Evening Standard

Registration

Mail Sent for Registration Confirmation.

A confirmation email has been sent. Please activate your account by clicking on the activation link sent in your mail box.

Around 66% of people said they thought it was currently a good time to buy a property, but just 2.1% said it was a good time to sell one, according to property website Rightmove.

The findings suggest people think it is a buyers' market, in which those who have the funds in place to go ahead with a purchase can negotiate big discounts.

Nearly half of people who responded to a survey on Rightmove's website plan to buy a home during the coming 12 months, despite the fact seven out of 10 expect prices to fall further during the year.

In fact, potential buyers seem to have identified 2009 as the window in which to buy property, with only 38.4% thinking it will still be a good time to buy a home in 12 months' time, while just over a third of those questioned said they thought 2010 would be a good time to sell a property.

Miles Shipside, commercial director at Rightmove, said: "With interest rates at historic lows and set to fall further, and property deals available at around 25% below peak boom prices, buying has got a whole lot cheaper.

"Other assets now seem a lot less solid than bricks and mortar, so the time-to-buy pendulum is swinging from negative to positive.

"It's aided by some homeowners' mortgage repayments being the lowest they have ever experienced and the prospect of them getting even cheaper - a real turnaround from just a few months ago."

Around 16% of the 28,212 people questioned said they would be willing to borrow more than four times their salary to buy a home, even though tighter lending criteria mean they may not be able to do this, although 49% of people are more wary and said they would only borrow up to three times their pay.

Meanwhile, property website Mouseprice.com said there was a continuing stand-off between buyers and sellers, as homeowners refused to accept how far the value of their home had fallen.