Just read an email from primelocation - a long list of properties, many of which I recognise from earlier emails and all showing an asking price reduction of 5% or more. That's in a prosperous part of the SE commuter belt and the fall represents a couple of months. This time Ed Stansfield my be wrong again but in the opposite direction - 6% down might be the tip of the iceberg. Happily, I don't care - one property, no mortgage, no intention of moving. Don't think I'd be quite as complacent if I was, say sitting on 5m of BTL property and 4m of mortgage debt. The market doesn't have to fall too far for a 1m profit to turn into a similar sized loss. Isn't the golden rule for the professional gambler to know when to leave the table, to quit whilst ahead? And the unsuccessful gambler, s/he thinks that the run of luck will last forever, watches winnings turn into losses and leaves with nothing - or worse!

Clive, Sussex, UK

Would this be the same Capital Economics that encouraged us to 'get ready' for a 20% fall in house prices in 2005 and a 6% fall in 2006? There is a saying that runs along the lines of "the economy depends about as much on economists as the weather does on weather forecasters”. The difference? People remember what Michael Fish said 20 years ago but perhaps need reminding of what economists - particularly at Capital Ecomomics were confidently predicting only a few years ago.

Simon, London, UK

I'm sorry... is that the same Ed Stansfield of Capital Economics who, in February 2005, predicted that UK house prices would fall more than 20% in the following two years?

If so, let's remind ourselves of what actually happened... er, house prices ROSE more than 20% over those two years.

Pardon me if I don't fly off into a panic over their latest doom laden prediction!

I don't know what will happen to house prices over the next two years but I can guarantee you one thing - Capital Economics will, once again, have got it wrong.

It makes you wonder why they bother making these predictions – and why newspapers bother printing them. I could do better rolling a pair of dice!

KennyG, Brighton,

Only 6 per cent - no chance! Once the slide in prices becomes entrenched (arguably we're there already) there'll be no stopping it. Maybe some top end properties in London will continue to make the stats look a bit better, but 'ordinary' properties around the country will fall by sums well into double figures - around 50% to return to historical averages. The party is well and truly over!

George, East Sussex, UK