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House prices indices show the property market is moving at breakneck speed at the moment and if the doom and gloom front pages of national newspapers are to be believed, this is going to result in some serious casualties.

However, as savvy property investors know, plummeting house prices in certain parts of the country are not necessarily a bad thing and this could be an opportunity to snap up a discounted abode at a great rate, so long as finance is available. Ryneveld van der Horst, finance director of Bridgingloans.com, said the current environment was only positive if buyers had the cash available to snap up discounted properties immediately.

Bridging loans, with a reputation for providing fast, short-term finance, could enable investors and buyers to acquire property at a good price even in a world so swiftly struck down by the credit crunch, he said.

Gary Booth, chief executive of Tiuta, said speed was of the essence with bridging loans and providers made sure their processing methods ensured there were no unnecessarily hold ups or delays.

He said: "At Tiuta, we ensure advisers have access to an account manager that is able to give them regular updates on their client's application.

"We have also recently launched a case tracking system for advisers giving them instant access to the status of an application and allowing them to view all documentation online. While using the online system, advisers can instantly correspond with their case manager, enabling quicker communication in real-time."

Mr van der Horst said quick access to funds was what differentiated bridgers from most banks and building societies that had inflexible systems not designed for speed.

Mr van der Horst said Bridgingloans.com was constantly working on ensuring cash could be received as quickly as possible and the provider would soon be launching an online real-time tracker for advisers to monitor their applications.

Tiuta's Mr Booth said making sure there were no unnecessary delays required providers to recognise advisers had a vital part to play in making sure bridging loans were arranged as swiftly as possible.

He said: "It can be difficult but to ensure that an application is dealt with promptly, an adviser should ensure that they have as much information as possible at the initial stage of the client's application, including any supporting documentation.

"It is also imperative to ensure the lender is given the full story behind the application, so that any issues can be sorted out in advance. Often intermediaries leave out crucial information that they think will delay the application or cause it to be rejected, only for us to discover it later on, which can then cost the deal."

However, while lenders agreed quick processing was important Mr van der Horst said providers were also working to make sure the need for speed did not result in irresponsible decisions being made.

He said: "There are a lot of opportunities for knowledgeable investors at the moment and we are currently receiving a record number of applications.

"Our job is to have the processes in place – both on our side and the advisers' – so that we can make responsible lending decisions in a short timeframe."