You are here: DIME Home > Loans > First-time buyers 'better off purchasing than renting'

First-time buyers 'better off purchasing than renting'

New research has found that people looking to take their first step onto the property ladder may be better off buying than renting.

Author: Sam Gooch
Date: Jun 21, 2010 - 8:50:08 AM

Printer friendly page

New research has found that people looking to take their first step onto the property ladder may be better off buying than renting.

New research released today (June 15th) by Santander has concluded that the vast majority of first-time buyers for a home credit deal would be better off purchasing a property as opposed to renting one.

Following the government's pledge to help first-time buyers get their foot on the property ladder by increasing the number of new homes available, the mortgage lender conducted a study into the property market in the UK.

It found that, in the aftermath of the worst of the global economic downturn, average monthly rental prices now exceed those for the average repayment on mortgages in every area of the country apart from London.

Therefore, logic suggests that all people seeking a home outside of the capital city may be able to save themselves an average figure of £1,040 per year if they bought their own property instead of paying monthly rent.

Earlier this year, the Council of Mortgage Lenders found that average monthly rent in the UK - excluding London - now stands at just over £420, whereas mortgage repayments per month for first-time buyers equate to an average of £334. This is the equivalent to a saving of £86 per month.

London's property sector remains in its own disconnected bubble away from the rest of the nation, with rental prices within the capital around 56 per cent higher than elsewhere, Santander stated. 

The average monthly rent in the city is £701, but because real estate remains expensive to purchase there, fist-time buyers would end up paying around £359 per month on their mortgage.

Phil Cliff, director of mortgages at Santander, said that people in the market for property had been "justifiably cautious" over recent months, but advised that these figures show that the way forward may now be to purchase as opposed to renting.
"The first few months of 2010 have seen rents start to climb which has meant that the savings to be made for potential first-time buyers have grown considerably," he added.

View all articles by Sam Gooch

Link to this article:

Follow & Share Your Favorite Video Articles

Tell a Friend About This Site

Tweet about this site

Follow @dimeco

Recommended Associates

Do you write?

Would you like submit your articles and have them approved on a priority status? Find out more about how you can become a Priority author for pennies a day! Click here.