Graham Norwood writes in today's Independent about the seemingly growing number of properties that sit on the market for more than a year. There's little mystery when it comes to the reasons... vendors haven't been willing to lower prices to meet buyers' expectations in a market that is being broadcast in the media as belonging to them. More interesting, though, is what to do if your own home has - either due to your own pigheadedness or your agent's idleness - been allowed to go stale. A Knight Frank agent suggests "dressing" the property buy hiring in better furniture:

"Nine times out of 10 a sale happens quickly afterwards because it looks better and people buy into the lifestyle that the furniture suggests."

Jeez, are we really that stupid?