Today, Rob is one of Britain’s best-respected finance experts. Whether he’s presenting ’The Property Podcast’ or writing his weekly property column for the Sunday Times, Rob is on a mission to teach the world about how money, the economy and investment really work.”

We have also seen a big increase in first time buyers getting help from Bank of Mum and Dad, who are looking to take advantage of flat discounts in particular. If you're purchasing a property as your home rather than an investment, negotiating a lower price is still beneficial - but it might not be as crucial since you plan to live there for a long time. What is stopping the falls being larger is the fact the market has under-performed and mortgage regulations stopped households overpaying and creating a price bubble.We have also secured a four-bedroom house in Fulham on behalf of a young client where we negotiated 15 per cent off the asking price on the basis that our client was a cash buyer and was ready, willing and able to complete on a very short timescale.' OK. Well, to return to the question that we asked at the start of the podcast, money is just a fiction that everyone has chosen to believe in. Now, with all the issues right now, Rob, in the financial system, do you think there will come a point where that faith in the financial system will be shaken or even lost?

House prices are not determined by a single market, but rather a plethora of markets across the UK, and the experience can be different right down to the very street or road you live on. Richard Donnell, head of the research and insight team at Zoopla says: 'House prices are under greatest downward pressure in London but prices are not falling significantly at present. Rob Dix of Property Hub thinks London is most likely to see single-digit falls over the next 12 months.Don't judge an offer with reference to the asking price. If you get more than the asking price, then it did its job well.' Very little affects your quality of life more than money - and it's hard to get and to keep if you don't really understand how it works. After you've read Rob Dix's short, sharp introduction, you will know more than most ordinary people about how money works - and also (I'm sorry to say) rather more than most Cabinet ministers too. MERRYN SOMERSET WEBB, Bloomberg Columnist and host of Merryn Talks Money A pithy and punchy guide that explains in a very engaging and readable manner the essentials of modern finance and economics. It is profoundly useful for anyone wanting to understand why the current global economy is in such a mess, and what that might mean for your own finances. GILLIAN TETT, Editor-at-Large of the Financial Times It can be tempting to match what other properties in the area are on the market for, but the advice is to speak to local estate agents to ensure the house goes on the market for a price that will attract interest, rather than one that's purely speculative. This is an audio transcript of the Money Clinic podcast episode: ‘Investment masterclass: ‘Money is basically a fiction’’

Buyer demand is weaker. However, whilst there are now only two buyers today rather than the five that there may have been last year the best properties are still selling well and often for more than they would have made in 2022. A tour of the nuts and bolts that hold the economy together is not supposed to be interesting, but Rob Dix makes it fascinating. This is a bracing ride through the unexpectedly wild world of money. ED CONWAY, Economics Editor, Sky News

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Hmm. Well, I mean, certainly there are many things in it that fascinated and surprised me. But let’s talk about your journey towards becoming an investor because you started investing your spare cash at really quite an early age. And that developed into an obsession, in your own words. So tell us how it all began. AA warns drivers to avoid puddles in case they're perilous potholes after a record month of related breakdowns You need an emergency fund. If you’re saving for something like a house, you don’t want to have that exposed to the markets where anything could happen over a short period of time. So I’m not saying don’t save, but I’m just saying be aware that it might feel now like your savings are doing something for you, but because inflation is higher as well, it’s kind of not. Through your interest that you’re receiving. And that’s not been the case since 2008. So for that whole time, you’re guaranteed to lose money by keeping it in the bank, which is not great. So if you’re saving up for a house, then you’re kind of your, it’s gonna be getting harder and harder to save if the money you have saved is losing value. The other part of it is because of quantitative easing, which happened in the wake of the last financial crisis . . . So, I'm not yet seeing a Mexican standoff, but I expect to. At the moment, it's just too early, but the penny will drop by the summer.

The 30 house price hotspots of 2023: Coastal county in the North West and Scottish seaside haven top this year’s list Looking ahead, some are expecting we will see more of the same across London: a combination of small falls and drifting sideways. Escape to the country... for less! House prices in these rural areas are cheaper than nearby cities and towns I just like the flexibility of it. And so actually it works out as a better financial decision as well. I’ve run the numbers and I’m actually better off renting rather than owning the property that I choose to live in. But I also just like the flexibility. Vast waste of older workers: Too often, over-fifties find themselves sidelined or pushed out of careers in their prime, says RUTH SUNDERLANDWell, your book came out last month and there’s quite a story behind its creation. Share it with us.