Middle Movers Are Struggling to Advance on the Housing Ladder

Recent research has borne out the suspicion that some individuals are having a tougher time than others with regard to getting a mortgage or moving up on the housing ladder. Santander has released the results of some recent research it has undertaken in this area, and the information makes intriguing reading. A couple of weeks ago we revealed that the over 40s were struggling to be considered for a mortgage. This is due to them being over retirement age by the time the average 25-year mortgage would come to an end. However there is another group of people who are already on the housing ladder who are also finding it difficult to get ahead. Middle movers struggling to move on from their first property The news is often full of stories concerning first-time buyers. Granted, it can be difficult to get onto the housing ladder, but once you are there, surely it is easier to move up and into your second property? If this latest research is to be believed, nothing could be further from the truth. Indeed, some two-thirds of those questioned who were aged between 18 and 34 were still living in their first property. Perhaps more telling was the fact that over two-thirds of these people who wanted to move in the next couple of years believed it was unlikely theyd be able to do so. Sacrifices made on first properties need to be lived with for longer than was initially believed People move up the housing ladder for many different reasons. In some cases it is because they have a growing family. Whatever the case may be it is typical for people to compromise in some way in order to be able to afford their first property. Unfortunately the information revealed in the survey by Santander seems to indicate many people have ended up compromising for significantly longer than they thought they would. Typical ways in which people compromised included location, fewer bedrooms and smaller gardens. The general advice is for people to start trimming back their budget and save more if they are looking to move up into their second home. Other advice includes making improvements that will add to the value of the property, thus bridging the gap between what the first home is worth and what a person can afford for a second home. What other fears exist in the marketplace at the moment? There is no one single reason why people are finding it hard to make the leap from their first property into the second one. However many cite the need for starter homes and similar properties to rise in value, in order to make it easier to afford to move on. Other have concerns about the economy and how safe they were in their jobs both factors that can have a pronounced effect on how easy it is to continue paying a mortgage. This is particularly true if the mortgage is on a larger property. Clearly some people may have to wait a while yet before they can make their move.