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Home ownership a pipedream?
A couple of weeks ago the media were leading with a report by the National Housing Federation (a lobby group for Housing Associations) that within a decade home ownership in England would decline to 63.8%. On the other hand Government statistics show 80% of people aspire to buying their own home. Cue much wringing of hands and property experts referring to “pent up demand”. However, CML statistics show that UK home-ownership has never exceeded 71% so it seems there has always been a mismatch between aspirations and reality. It’s true that affordability for first time buyers remains stretched but as lending criteria relax over time they will be in a better position to compete with the investment buyers who are currently hoovering up most of the property in what, traditionally, has been their segment of the market.