Great work on a fantastic show. I always watch it with keen interest, no matter what the topic. Cheers.
Anne Palmer, UK

We are first-time buyers with several children under two years old, and a reasonable income. We find it very frustrating that some people can own several properties while a large proportion of people in our situation cannot even buy one.

Liz Galgavolgyi, England

I enjoyed your 4x4 Reports tonight. I have worked in housing for more than 17 years. I bought a house 2.5 years ago for �68,000. It is now worth �150,000. I live in the South West. Business is still booming but I remember the crash of '91. What will happen to the people with very large mortgages, if interest rates rise and prices spiral? Will we again see negative equity and a surge in homelessness? I am glad that I don't have a huge mortgage. If interest rates rise, then we can afford our mortgage. I have friends who will not be in that position.
N G, England

Following your programme tonight featuring house prices, specifically the report on the three couples trying in vain to find houses, I went briefly onto the 'Fish4' search engine. Having been led to believe by your report that it was nigh on impossible to find any properties for these people, imagine my amazement when, after just one search for each couple's criteria, I found several properties for each - over 30 for the Cornish pair! I think it just goes to show that these people are simply either not committed enough or, as I suspect, merely looking in the wrong places for information.
Rebecca Duffy, England

A lot of housing associations will accept onto their books young people looking for their first home. One did this for me in 1993. Without it, I would not have been able to get a first foot on the property ladder.

Jonathan Frater, UK

I watched this evening's report on house prices with great interest. We are in the same situation as others featured on this programme and cannot find a property in our area (Suffolk) within our price range. We are first time buyers with several children under two years old, and a reasonable income. We find it very frustrating that some people can own several properties while a large proportion of people in our situation cannot even buy one.
I would also like to comment on a comment posted here regarding an attempt to find a house on fish4.com. I frankly am rather suprised you can comment, having so little of the information needed to find a "suitable home" for any of the couples featured. We could buy a small terraced house in a rough area of the nearest town with our mortgage capacity but we choose to wait until a house that meets our specific needs becomes available. We feel that for the price we can pay (�90,000) we should reasonably be able to expect a better standard of house than a tiny terrace with little or no garden.
Liz Galgavolgyi, England

I watched the programme last night on house prices and the problems faced by first-time buyers with interest. However, the programme - by design or choice - never mentioned housing asociations - not once. A lot of housing associations will accept onto their books young people looking for their first home. One did this for me in 1993. Without it, I would not have been able to get a first foot on the property ladder. Last April, after getting married, we sold the flat and were able to buy a terraced house. We could not have been able to do this without the housing association allowing me to buy/rent a flat.
Jonathan Frater, UK

There are ways and means, but many of these people have just looked in the estate agent's window and decided they can't afford anything, and so "that's that.." Rubbish. I had the same problem, so I got off my backside and did some research. I am now the happy recipient of a housing association (interest free) loan of 25% of the purchase price of my new flat. There are options - Homebuy and Shared ownership schemes to name two. Why haven't these people tried these? Simple research takes little effort and no money....
Liz, UK