What a year it has been for London - real highs, real lows.

Winning the contest for to host the Olympics in 2012 transformed a dream (many thought a pipe dream compared with Paris' chances) into reality.

Two days later London was bombed.

The terrorist attacks show at once how vulnerable the capital city is to attack, but importantly demonstrate London's resilience.

Overall, the general feeling that capital's property market was improving didn't dampen and London ends the year on a note of increasing optimism.