The reason why houses are so overpriced is demand far outstripping supply. Demand mainly comes from the high number of jobs - the only real choice we have is move the jobs or build more houses where the jobs are. Interference through price controls just creates a two-tier housing system and further inflates market prices. The difficulty the government now has it that if enough houses were built to bring supply up to meet demand, it would cause a major drop in market prices, upsetting homeowners and property developers across the land. This is despite the fact that the high price of someone's home is of little actual value to them, unless they move to a cheaper area or downsize substantially. James Thomas, Cambridge

So the Govenrment is concerned about the plight of first-time buyers being unable to get onto the property ladder and are willing to use taxpayers money to assist them? This is a strange policy from a Government that has loaded a high percentage of this market with graduate debt and is now aghast at the first-time buyer market ebbing away in front of their eyes. Taxpayers money musn't be used to support students through university but it can be used to help them buy a propert, which is bizarre to say the least. And with regard to nurses and other key workers being priced out perhaps it's time the Government paid them a decent wage instead of ranting on about "affordable" housing whilst handing out sops. Carole Tyrrell, London

The problem is not a lack of housing, otherwise we would see more homeless people on the streets. The problem is that people want to buy houses. Here are some suggestions to ease the crisis: make the buy-to-let market and second homes less attractive to people (tax rises on income/council tax), although this could have knock on effect on the housing market though. Move business and therefore jobs out of the South of the country, thus regenerating poorer areas in the North and releasing pressure on the over-burdened areas. Tim Richards, Whaley Bridge

As a single professional I have struggled to save in order to buy my own property, with house prices outstripping my savings. Now we appear to be entering a period of price-correction, or at least some semblance of stability, the answer I feel is not to throw money at young couples. This will only bolster, or even inflate, an already vastly over-priced property market. Price stability must now be maintained for the forseeable future so that purchases are not made under false pretences and that property in general becomes more affordable for all. There is no quick fix to affordabilit, market forces will not allow. Mark Nuttall, Sale

I think the Government are only helping first-time buyers because they know that without thembuyers there is no housing market, and at the present time the market is stagnant. It is just another way for them to stoke things up again and who loses out? Yet more first-time buyers who then have to pay even higher prices than they should have to. The housing market is full of greedy people looking to take advantage of the young and vulnerable. At the end of the day, we all need somewhere to live and to plunge the younger generations into so much debt is a bad thing. Name and address withheld

It's very simple maths, average wage multplied by 3 and a half equates to average margins of affordabilty. Calculate this against average house prices (not forgetting the interest) and there it is. It is reasonably obviuos that people are not prepared to spend lifetimes getting themselves out of debt, when properties are currently overpriced and mortgages stripping your every last penny. Government housing will ease the burden but segregation of the quick profit seekers from the people that really need this opportunity is fundamental. Without this, the rich will get richer and the poor will get poorer. Name and address withheld

I agree with Mark from Sale. I too am a young professional working in Manchester. I earn substantially more than my parents put together but because of the high price of property I can only dream of buying a house like theirs. When they bought their house in the late 70s there was no such thing as people buying additional houses for profit. Houses were somewhere to live and that was that. The young are being exploited and prices would soon come down if taxation policies were changed to diminish the attractiveness of the buy to let market. Name and address withheld

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