Rural families 'unable to get on property ladder'
Rural buyers are being priced out of their first home.
Friday, 16, Jul 2010 08:00
Young people in rural areas are finding it increasingly difficult to get onto the property ladder, according to PricedOut.org.uk.
The lobby group's press officer Katy John claims that affordability in the countryside is an increasing problem, with the average property now costing ten times the average salary.
It is therefore time that the government recognises what effect the buy-to-let boom and the demand for second houses has had on the rural community, she added.
In the latest research from the National Housing Federation, it was revealed that 65 per cent of people living in the countryside feel that first-time buyers are being forced out of their local villages by high house prices.
"The government needs to establish and meet clear targets for building more homes in rural areas, particularly suitable homes for young families trying to get on the housing ladder," Ms John said.
She went on to say that there should also be more innovative housing ownership model, such as co-operatives, to help rural people get on the property ladder.