Results from a recent on-line poll are pessimistic about the health of the UK housing market.  60% of the poll's respondents believed that house prices would not rise significantly during 2010.  Nevertheless, activity on the housing portal, primelocation.com, has increased significantly, with 47% year-on-year growth.

Nigel Lewis (Digital Property Group) suggests that such activity is indicative of increasing housing demand, which, in turn, will lead to house price increases during 2010.  In addition, he suggests that banking bonuses will further fuel demand in London and the South East.  He also suggests that the traditionally less buoyant housing market in the north of England, having a lower average price, than found within London and the South East, might be the key region of UK house price recovery.