A property analyst has said that the housing crisis is being over-played.

Kate Faulkner, who is a regular television pundit and has written books and reports on housing, said: “I am worried. I think that we are reporting too much that there is a housing crisis ‘everywhere’.

“I spoke to people recently who thought the price to get on the market was twice what it actually is. So they haven’t even considered buying.

“I spoke to other people who complained about price increases in Nottingham, where prices are not that different to what they were in 2004.”

Faulkner said that according to the last Land Registry figures, house prices in England and Wales are still below those of the previous height of the market in 2007/2008.

The Nationwide puts house prices 3% above the 2007/2008 height of the market. Only Acadata puts them substantially ahead, at 19% higher.

However, Faulkner pointed out that in Liverpool, house prices are still nearly 30% below the market peak.

She said: “The reality of what’s actually happening to property prices isn’t being reflected in people’s understanding.

“This is potentially holding back a generation who could buy and making those in renting feel miserable when in actual fact there are some excellent deals around.”

The Land Registry is due to update its house prices today.