As I look at the property section of your paper, I am again dumbfounded at the prices of property in the Wharfe Valley.

There are few businesses that can systematically overvalue its product range and systematically mislead the market in the same way as estate agents do.

The Channel 4 documentary with Mary Portas examining estate agent practices was illuminating.

It really is astonishing that Wharfedale-based agents can earn a living in this market based on their customer service levels and their suicidal determination to price houses in a way that means they don’t sell.

In LS21 postcode the average time for a detached house to be on the market in January 2007 was 97 days. By February 2011 it has risen to 372 days.

For a semi in the same postcode region and time frame it is 233 days in 2011 rising from 85 in 2007 And yes, we could blame the lack of mortgage money being released – except it is actually increasing, and if prices were lower then so would the size of the deposit required.

It would be churlish to lay all the blame at the door of the agents. We don’t have to take their advice and market our houses at the prices they suggest. However, it is a vicious circle. A chicken and egg situation. If a few forward-thinking people begin to market their houses between 30 per cent and 35 per cent less than the supposed market value they will be snapped up by genuine buyers. However, if the rest of the market does not follow suit, these pioneers will lose substantially as they try to buy, so why should they?

If the market is to move again – then agents have to raise their game in terms of service, and sellers have to lower their expectations in terms of price. A home is to live in, not to fund a pension.

Nick Girling

Peterhouse Drive, Otley