Research shows that as many as 150,000 people in England and Wales are likely to suffer from gazumping over the next year.

That's Rosie Murray-West, in this morning's Telegraph. The study is apparently by Spring Move - one of those companies banking on HIPs being here to stay, and so with a vested interest in demonstrating what a soul- and sanity-destroying poker game moving house is (without the HIP white knight on hand to help you out). It's research also apparently showed...

4.9 million people over the past five years said they had suffered a range of emotional, mental and physical health problems caused by buying or selling a property.

And - what's this? - not only are 150,000 of us going to get gazumped, a further 90,000 of us, according to Spring Move, will be gazundered. Because that's the kind of crazy market it is. One in which the centuries-old law of supply-and-demand means nothing, and properties will be both fought over, and left for debt until the buyer accepts a reduced offer.

Gazumped or gazundered? Tell us about it at the Rat and Mouse forum.