Younger buyers need partner to get a first home

NEARLY HALF of 18 to 35-yearolds are banking on a partner to help them get onto the property ladder, according to research.

Some 45 per cent of people in this age group intend to buy their first home with a partner or loved one or already have, Halifax found.

Men were twice as likely as women to say that not being able to buy with someone else is a barrier to getting on the property ladder, according to the research.

Overall, 13 per cent in this age group feel this way, comprising 18 per cent of men and nine per cent of women.

A lack of income was seen as the biggest barrier for young people getting on the property ladder, with 55 per cent of men blaming their salaries, compared with 70 per cent of women.

Martin Ellis, a housing economist at Halifax, said: “It’s not difficult to see why so many young people are now waiting for a partner to take their first step onto the property ladder, as the average UK first-time buyer deposit reached a whopping £32,899 earlier this year.

“While many people trying to fund day-to-day living while saving for a deposit for a first home may not even be able to imagine raising this amount of cash on top of all their regular outgoings, first-time buyers in the UK are still on average £651 a year better off buying their own home compared to renting.

“Getting to grips with the property market jargon, calculating what’s affordable and understanding borrowing options available – including Government schemes – will help bring people looking to own their own home closer to the first step, no matter how far away they feel they are from reaching that first rung.”

More than 1,500 people took part in the survey.

Meanwhile, a separate survey has found that first-time buyers end up paying over £44,000 more than they originally intended for their property.

The typical “reality gap” between the sum people taking their first step on the property ladder have in mind and the actual amount that ends up being spent comes to £44,240, the survey from property website Zoopla found. The findings were made from a survey of more than 1,000 first-time buyers.

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