I have some sympathy for Eddie Mitchell in regards to your item (Jan 17), where it is mentioned that some of the loans on his properties are being called in.

I have noticed a number of developers are not buying at the moment, possibly waiting the outcome of the General Election.

When we had the Labour government, borrowing just went madly out of control. Many people got their fingers burnt.

The Conservatives have the scheme where the government, using your money (taxpayers), will act as guarantors to lenders who provide mortgages. In other words, you are making that guarantee.

My worry was, as with many other observers, property prices will simply go up, when we really need them to fall. If they did, so would land costs.

I also wonder, where are the entrepreneurs these days?

I started a career in estate agency aged 16 in Ringwood, followed by many years in Bournemouth and then on my own in New Milton.

It was all good fun when the market was consistent. But, when it goes quiet.

You are losing money each and every day, just trying to keep an office open.

I am sure most readers have seen that advertising, for example, here in the Echo has dropped off massively over the recent years.

Agents seem now to rely upon the use of boards and the web-sites.

Plus those, sole agency agreements.

My intention was to open up again on my own, having been released from being a carer, for the past quarter of a century. But it is too much of a risk.

Unless someone with a lot of funds wants to have a franchise, and we will grow a small chain of agencies, where I do not have to play or pay, any real part.

Richard F Grant, Bisterne Close, Burley