With the Easter break and the first quarter of 2010 already behind us how are things fairing in the Canary Wharf property market? I’m pleased to report that despite the caution in which many of us approached the New Year we have had a very positive start albeit slow at the onset. The national press has continually reported growth in prices since January which I personally had dismissed until about a month ago as the actual reality was that things had remained static, but I’m delighted to report that things have quite clearly started to pick up across the board. Prices are now starting to creep up as demand continues to outstrip supply. Buyers seem keen to secure a property and lending has become a little easier once again, with deposits being more reasonable. Sales in one of the popular residential developments in E14 set precedence again as buyers lined up to view and the asking price was achieved within a day, certainly something I have not seen for a couple of years now. Agents are now willing to push the prices up a little as confidence once again returns although realistic pricing is still the order of the day. Landlords too are seeing the return of reasonable rents once again following the dreadful nose dive of rents when the crunch first kicked in and most landlords were held to ransom and expected to renegotiate the rent downwards or lose their tenant altogether. Certainly we are not out of the woods yet, and I don’t think any of us would become so complacent to think so after the dreadful market we have experienced first hand and fortunately survived, but certainly there is reason to be cheerful as we experience a settling and a gentle bit of growth that once again instils confidence in the future of our property market.