House Prices to rise in 2012? Oh and the Olympics.

The start of a New Year is always exciting. You start to think ahead and plan your year.

It may have been New Year resolutions to give up smoking, chocolate or alcohol or a promise that this year will be better. Perhaps a new car or the moving home you have been putting off as you wait for the market to drop to its worse point or pick up so that you can sell for the price you paid for it.

Surveyors are not fortune tellers, neither are economic editors who will try and predict a gloomy year to try and grab the headlines. So perhaps a little common sense may prevail as we try to give a view on 2012.

The Queens diamond jubilee kicks off in June as so does the UEFA Euro football tournament. A good run for England could inspire Andy Murray in June and July to triumph at Wimbledon. July and August, the World watches London and Great Britain as hosts of the Olympics.

Sport can inspire and excite but most of all it can be a great advert for London. More than ever, in this period of uncertaintly and concern over unemployment, we need to stand out from our European partners and be proud of being British. This period of just three months could make so much difference in the three years that follow. Investment could flow in from overseas as we are seen as the place to be. London is the link between the East and the West and this year, with the help of a strong government and a stunning sequence of events we could see house prices rise in the South East. The knock on effect to the North may not be instant, but we could see stability for a period of time with rises elsewhere across the UK in the following year.

But, if you want to plan for the negative, an attack by terrorists or an embarrassing opening / closing ceremony at the Olympics could have a disastrous affect. Fortunately that won't happen, because our Armed Forces, Police and Secret Services are the best in the world. In 2011, Harry and Kate showed the world how we celebrate and in 2012, it will be even bigger.

Get ready for 2012 and to the Olympians, good luck from E Surveyors - no pressure but our livelihoods depend upon you.