" Declining business confidence, on the back of worsening economic conditions, has resulted in muted demand throughout the first half of the year.  "

" Activity falls at faster rate in June, but developers remain optimistic about the three-month outlook. Exactly 27.9% of survey respondents reported an overall drop in activity, almost twice the proportion that signalled a rise (14.3%). "

" “We are already starting to see properties switch back from the rental to the sales market as interest in the prime residential sales market picks up from equity rich and foreign buyers. This will help stabilise rental levels during 2010, followed by significant rental growth in 2011.” "

" This bulletin summarises the results of our 2009 Estate Benchmarking Survey for Scotland; a separate survey is published for England. The survey analyses the performance of the property assets of each participating estate against a benchmark for the 12 months to 5th April 2009. "

" Prime property yields have “topped out”. Sentiment in the investment markets has improved significantly in the last two months with the majority of yields hardening, some by over 50 basis points since the turn of the year. As the overall market absorbs this trend, confidence will return and entice investors off the sidelines and back into the market.  "

" This bulletin summarises the results of our 2009 Estate Benchmarking Survey for England. The survey analyses the performance of the property assets of each participating estate against a benchmark for the 12 months leading to 5th April 2009. Across the UK in the region of 200 estates representing one million acres participate in the survey. This enables subsets of data to be analysed, including at a regional level and by estate size. "

" Student housing is perhaps one of the most resilient investment sectors during the current economic downturn. Although the credit crunch more or less put the brakes on development activity in the sector, investors are enjoying robust performance compared to other asset classes. Demand is high, supply is low, rents are rising and many private operators are already fully booked for the next academic year (2009/10). "

" It appears that we have just seen the turn of a 17 or 18 year cycle. This credit crunch is distinctly different from the housing crisis of the early 1990s in that price falls have been rapid and universal, due to the withdrawal of credit rather than the extreme affordability problems of 1989. Nevertheless, this edition of the Residential Property Focus has distinct resonance with what we said in 1992. "

" The recurring theme across the prime markets is that the end of the worst price falls is in sight. Buyer interest is beginning to emerge and an increase in applicant numbers is reported by agents. This has yet to translate into increased transaction volumes though. Turnover remains significantly curtailed. "

" After a period of record growth, residential values in Scotland have fallen, with a sharp decrease in transaction levels during 2008. All sectors of the market, including prime, have been affected. We expect a challenging market for the remainder of 2009, more stable conditions in 2010, followed by meaningful growth by 2012. "