The state of the property market has been talked to death over the last few years. Everyone has an opinion, and pessimists are always quick to paint the gloomiest of pictures.

However for John Elliott, managing director of Millwood Designer Homes, there has been a lot of positive movement in the property market over the last few months, as he explains.

House prices surge again. That was the headline in the Daily Express in November. What a great way to end the year!

The press is usually hell bent on painting a gloomy and miserable picture of the property market, and as a house builder it is very frustrating to read the constant bad press when I know that it is not always the truth, just a sensationalised view to ignite the masses. Bad news sells papers, after all.

The Daily Express reported that house prices surged by almost £2,000 in November, defying predictions with a welcome recovery.

According to Rightmove, house prices increased by 2.7% in October, pushing the value of a typical home to £163,311 - up £62 a day in four weeks, leaving prices now higher than at the end of 2010. In November, Nationwide reported a rise of 0.4%, confirming that the price of a typical home was 1.6% higher than one year ago. That's not a bad return on your investment, particularly in today's economic climate.

More importantly, it is a real "kick in the teeth" for so-called economic property experts who have spent the entire year predicting more doom and gloom for the housing market, casting a web of negative thinking across the nation.

I know a number of people who have been reluctant to sell their homes, even if it was personally the right time for them to do so, just because they were worried that worse was yet to come.

There's no doubt that the lack of mortgage availability has certainly made things tough for the market, but even here things seem to be looking up.

First-time buyers were the worst hit. Demand for high deposits, coupled with a lack of mortgage finance, has pushed the average age for first property ownership up. Some reports suggest it could now be as high as 43. However, lenders are beginning to loosen the purse strings and lend at higher Loan to Values (LTV).

Lenders are also trying harder to offer borrowers with a 10% deposit more help to get on the property ladder. Barclays has returned to the 90% mortgage market after a three-year absence, helping the availability of products to grow by a fifth over the past year and bringing some much-needed competition.

Buyers with a 10% deposit can secure a three-year, fixed deal at 4.99%. Over five years, the fixed-rate rises to 5.49%. HSBC is offering a five-year fixed-rate of 4.89% on 90% LTV and Chelsea's two-year fix at 4.09% is highly competitive.

Although selected lenders are starting to make life easier for first-time buyers by making a 10% deposit sufficient, if you have 15% or more then the rates are much more competitive.

For example, Holmesdale BS is offering a discount rate of 1.99% for two years with a 25% deposit. HSBC is offering 1.99% for two years and 3.28% for five years if you have a 40% deposit. Santander's tracker deal offers 1.59% above base rate for two years, giving a current rate of 2.09% to those with a 40% deposit. If you only have 30% then Chelsea can offer you a variable mortgage of 1.69% above base rate for two years, giving a current rate of 2.19%.

Despite the concerns for both the UK and global economies, bricks and mortar still remain a highly resilient investment.

With the cost of rent at a record high, buying a house still makes excellent financial sense. In fact, the average homeowner has seen their property increase in value by 75% in the past 10 years. This is a fantastic return on your investment, far better than you would have seen with regular savings.

Just make sure you do your research to find the best one for you.

For Millwood, we are looking towards a positive year in 2012, with lots of exciting development in the pipeline so make sure to keep an eye on our website.

More details on Millwood at www.millwooddesignerhomes.co.uk