Banking on release of loan funds

WITH the brand new year cranking into gear, thoughts of buying a first home, or even trading up, will be orbiting the minds of many.

Yet, talk of 2012 as a year to buy is raising eyebrows. Word on the street, and that of the property merchants and experts is pretty unanimous — the shutters are still down on the finance houses.

“It’s really the banking system that’s holding back the market more than anything else,” says Robert Ganly of Knight Frank.