Halton’s affordable homes

SOME Halton neighbourhoods are among the most affordable in England with home buyers only needing less than half the national average required wage to step onto the housing ladder.

According to the Officer For National Statistics (ONS), the average entry level home buyer in England and Wales needs an average annual household income of £26,444.

In west Runcorn covering Weston Point, Weston and Runcorn Old Town, this figure falls to £12,608 with the upper end of the range for Runcorn at £23,233 in southern neighbourhoods Beechwood, Sutton Weaver and the Heath. An average low to mid end property in west Runcorn costs £66,750 according to the data, while to go upmarket house buyers will have shell out £123,000 in the Beechwood-Heath corridor.

In Widnes, the minimum average income drops even further, down to £11,900 in West Bank and through to Kingsway with low to mid-end properties available for approximately £63,000.

According to the ONS statistics, prices are highest in Penketh, with an average household income of £25,500 needed and low to mid ranged houses costing about £135,000.

Statisticians found most unaffordable areas were in the South including parts of London, The Foxholes in Poole and Oxfordshire.

The most affordable region in England and Wales was the North East, followed by the North West.

First time buyers on average across the two regions face having to fork out £140,000, requiring about £300 in stamp duty, an estimated £2,000 for legal and moving costs and £21,000 for a 15% deposit.