Caldwells take a look at what is most important in a confusing property market.

Asked what he thought would define his premiership, Prime Minister Harold McMillan famously replied, “Events, dear boy, events”. It is much the same with the property market. Events largely control turnover and turnover affects prices - up or down.

There are major events like world wars and global pandemics and inconvenient events like fuel and food shortages, interest rate hikes and cost of living rises. Yet it might surprise you to learn that the events which so often drive the property market are not global or even national: they are personal.

These everyday events, such as births, deaths, beginning or ending cohabitation, stage of life changes, ambition, career success or even failure, create a real need or desire to move on or move in, and more often than not they cannot wait.

Right now, the market seems to be in a state of zero gravity, floating between price rises and price drops but these personal events will always be with us no matter what is going on in the world or which government is in power.

Put it this way; if you wait for global events to stabilise, you will wait a long time. It's better to let your own personal events direct you and remember what matters most.