Property investment looks like it could become trickier if the headlines are to be believed – plummeting house prices, fast house sales, repossession rises – but it's precisely this volatility that leaves plenty of opportunity for the canny property investor.

Property Investment – Know where to look

If you are looking for a property investment and have a mortgage or the cash in place, the property auctions are crammed with reduced priced property. Fast house sale schemes and the increase in repossessions means you can find homes and property investments at vastly reduced cost. Sarah Beeny has spoken out to the Observer newspaper about the situation, stating that although it is a difficult market, there is still room for property investment: "There'll be a few more losers, sure: people have been under the impression that you really can't fail, and over the past two years you could have bought somewhere, sat on a sunlounger for a month, sold it on and made a profit," Beeny told the newspaper. "So there's been overconfidence, and there'll be caution. But people have to live somewhere, and as long as you buy at the right price ..."

Property Investment – Staying upbeat

Kirsty Allsopp, TV's property queen has also been quoted in the article as stating the property market is still relatively buoyant. She believes to get a good property investment you need to think nationally, not regionally. Statistics show there are lulls in certain UK regions, but not everywhere is seeing a drop. Allsopp said: "There's a lot of irresponsible reporting going on. The only conclusion I can draw is that every journalist in the country rents, and has a vested interest in the property market falling through the floor." However, in a market where confidence is shaky and popular opinion is low, there is more room to negotiate prices down and find a valuable property investment.

Property Investment – Do your research

Although there are great bargains online and in property auctions, if you're looking for a property investment the same principles apply – research the location and the market to project how that property will fare once the crunch is over. You could get a great price and find yourself with a valuable property investment that will still pay off in the future. The continued popularity of property TV shows is evidence that the UK hasn't fallen out of love with property investment yet. And although there are going to be tough times, property investment is still a burgeoning field. If anything, some property experts believe the downturn will in fact be beneficial for property investment.

If you need help to get a faster sale or you are looking to buy a property at auction, contact Discount Property Auction. We're committed to helping you, whatever your circumstances. If you want to sell your home, you can use our dedicated online auction facility, which allows you to upload your property yourself and put it in front of genuine, interested buyers. Call us now on 0800 1313 999 or email admin@discountpropertyauction.co.uk to find out more.