First-time buyers 'risking more'

Life is getting tougher for first time buyers

First-time buyers are willing to take greater financial risks than ever, a survey by Yorkshire Bank suggests.

Six out of 10 would consider taking out a substantial mortgage - even in excess of five times salary - to get on the property ladder.

Mortgages repayable over longer periods than 25 years are also becoming more popular, the survey found.

First-time buyers are also twice as likely as others to offer more than the asking price to get their dream home.

"With the average house price nearing £200,000, this year may feel like the last chance saloon for first-time buyers already finding it hard to buy," said Gary Lumby, head of retail at Yorkshire Bank.

"First-timers are taking greater financial risks with the majority now considering mortgages which are more than five times their income or taking longer than 25 years to pay off," he added.

Parental help

It seems the plight of many first-time buyers is so bad that parents are increasingly dipping into savings to help their children onto the property ladder.

One in seven parents interviewed have started a fund to try to help their children buy when they are older.

Nevertheless, almost a quarter of parents surveyed cannot see their children being able to afford to buy property until they reach their 30s.

Last week, the Council of Mortgage Lenders said that first-time buyers were having to borrow record times their salaries when buying a home.

More than 2,000 people were interviewed for the survey.