25/06/2014

No Affordable Houses For Average Families In England

Over 80% of properties for sale in England are unaffordable for the average working family, according to Shelter.

More than half of the country, fewer than one in ten suitable homes on the market were affordable for a typical family, even assuming they were able to save the average deposit for a first time buyer.

For those hoping to buy with smaller deposits the situation is even worse with 88% of homes for sale in England unaffordable for families with a 95% loan.

The research paints an alarming picture of England’s affordability black spots. In 83 local authority areas, which accounts for over a quarter of the country, there were fewer than 10 affordable homes for sale. These areas included Cambridge where there were only three affordable homes for sale, and Brighton and Hove where there was just one. Alarmingly, in 14 local authority areas, including Ealing, Lewisham and Slough, there were no affordable homes for sale at all.

Campbell Robb, chief executive of Shelter, said: "When a family looking to buy their first home searches a whole town for a place to live and finds nothing they can afford, it's clear we're not just facing a housing shortage any more: it’s a full-blown drought."

The shortage of affordable homes isn't confined to London and the South East. In Exeter only 1% of homes on the market were affordable for the typical family while in South Lakeland in the North West only 4% were affordable.

(CVS/CD)

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