UK house prices are likely to remain steady in 2008, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics) has forecast.

The organisation said that while the housing market "could experience some near term weakness", a "great fall" in prices is unlikely, with any dips expected to resolve themselves quickly.

Rics also suggested that first-time buyers who have found it increasingly difficult to purchase a home could be poised to pounce if "prices soften to any extent".

This echoes the comments of David Miles, an economist with Morgan Stanley, who told Bloomberg earlier this month that first-time buyers and those looking to move up the housing ladder could stand to "gain" if there are any price drops.

Simon Rubinsohn, chief economist at the organisation, said: "2008 will prove a difficult year for the housing market, but with falls likely in the base rate, the housing market should be provided with a stable platform.

"The employment picture should remain firm throughout the year, helping to prevent significant numbers of repossessions and the subsequent influx of supply into the market. This should ensure that house price growth remains broadly flat over the course of the year," he explained.

Mr Rubinsohn warned that borrowing may be difficult in the first six months of 2008 as the effect of turmoil on financial markets lingers.