“It is not every day that you get an invitation from the Bank of England and so, when I was asked to meet one of their monetary analyists to give Jackson-Stops’ view on the property markets, I accepted with some enthusiasm.

"While the discussions at such meetings remain confidential, their purpose is to enable the Bank to understand how different sectors of industry are performing and what challenges each face. This in turn helps the Bank to manage the economic cycle and set interest rates accordingly. It is a time when data and statistics are important to back any opinion up and our latest monthly Reapit reports were of particular interest.

"There were a lot of questions to be answered in a relatively short period of time and it was important to give a balanced representation of the market rather than to talk it up. It was also interesting to get an economist’s view on the various factors that influence the market. What was a bonus when the meeting finished was to be given a tour around the Bank and to see the stunning reception rooms, including the meeting room with an oval table where interest rates are set by the Monetary Policy Committee every quarter.

"Having walked past one of the City of London’s most iconic landmarks many times it was fascinating to see inside and understand a little more about what the institution does within it. It was also gratifying that Jackson-Stops now has the profile in the industry to be invited by the Bank of England as a source of authoritative comment on the residential property markets.” Nick Leeming, Chairman, Jackson-Stops