First time buyer figures set to rise in 2011

December 15, 2010 by Brendan O'Neill

News

After a year or two of evaluating the market and of careful savings, reports suggest that the number of first time buyers entering the property market is set to tentatively increase next year.

Around 40 percent of FTBs questioned in a survey by FirstRungNow.com have said that they are ready to collate a deposit of 10 percent following some careful savings. Another report by Rightmove suggests that 25 percent of those expecting to purchase a property during 2011 will be a first time buyer, which is a tentative increase upon the low of 22 percent figure in July this year.

Since the 2008 credit crunch crisis, mortgage lenders have unfortunately had to make it far more difficult for first time buyers to secure a mortgage.

The Financial Services Authority (FSA), as the regulator of the mortgage industry, is placing more emphasis upon responsible lending and so we have seen the demise of the self certification mortgage and far fewer interest only mortgages being approved in recent years. Similarly, the minimum deposit required has also increased although the 90 percent mortgage has once again started to make a regular appearance, meaning first time buyers can secure a mortgage with a 10 percent deposit once more.

Many experts have predicted that the mortgage market for 2011, although not increasing vastly, will at the very least remain at similar activity levels as we have seen in 2010. If the number of first time buyers does indeed increase, as indicated by these recent reports, then this will help to stimulate the market.