Living near parents ‘a thing of the past’

NEARLY HALF of first-time buyers end up moving more than 20 miles away from their parents, according to a survey.

Some 49 per cent of Yorkshire people who have bought their first home said their property was more than 20 miles from their family home, Zoopla found.

This was despite 60 per cent saying it was important to have relatives nearby. High house prices in some areas and the need to live close to work may be other factors influencing where firsttime buyers choose to purchase a home.

However, the survey found seven per cent of people purchased their first home within a mile of their parents in Yorkshire.

People in the North-West of England were the most likely to buy their first home close to where they grew up.

First-time buyers in the SouthWest of England were the most likely to have moved more than 20 miles away from their parents, the survey found, with 55 per cent saying they had done this.

In London, 53 per cent had bought their first property more than 20 miles away from where they grew up, the survey of 2,000 home-owners found.

Zoopla has a series of guides on its website to help first-time buyers. Consumer spokesman Richard Houston said: “Moving out of your parents’ house into your own home is a real milestone and a life-changing moment for many people.

“When it comes to getting on the ladder, our research reveals that, despite a desire to be close to family, buying in the same area as your parents for many people appears to be a thing of the past. Whether it’s due to constraints around affordability, moving for employment opportunities or even if they simply want to start out on their own, first-time buyers are choosing to flee the nest.”