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Originally posted by gunner
PRICED OUT OF THE MARKET

Public sector workers are being priced out of the property market across most of the UK, a new report has claimed.

Nurses cannot afford to buy their own home in 78% of towns, the Halifax research has shown.


Police officers are priced out of the market in 63% of places, while property is unaffordable for teachers in 62%.

Britain's biggest mortgage lender says the average UK house price of £139,716 is now almost six times higher than the average nurse's salary of £24,000.

Unsurprisingly the problem is worst in London, where the average cost of a property is £232,421 - the equivalent to more than eight times a nurse's salary and nearly seven times a teacher's.

Things are not much better in the South East, where property costs around £199,328.

The Halifax found that the problem has now spread to the South West, East Anglia and the East and West Midlands.

Even though property remains largely affordable in Wales, the North, North West and Yorkshire and the Humber, soaring house prices in these regions during 2003 are stretching house price to earnings ratios.

However, the Government said more than 7,000 key workers had so far bought homes through its Starter Home Initiative.

This gives help to people in London and the South East and housing hot spots in Eastern and South West England.

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Originally posted by dugongs
This is a load of rubbish imho. Typical poorly researched scary UK tabloid story.

The average house price is totally irrelevant to first time buyers as most of us have to start with a small house or flat in a secondary area. It is still possible to buy flats in and around London for less than £100,000.

Average salaries for nurses in UK is apparently £25,000. Policeman over £30,000. Teachers in London would start on a salary of between £21k to £30k. Average salaries for teachers £30k (not to mention the 3 months of paid leave they all enjoy and the generous tax payer funded pension scheme). Its just a load of rubbish that on these salaries you cannot afford to buy somewhere. The government are also bending over backwards giving these people interest free loans of up to £100,000 in London.

The real issue is not these so called key workers its all the rest of the poor sods who hav'nt bought a house and do not have access to the high salaries and generous aid schemes provided.

Its also naive to pick on the UK as house prices have risen to high levels all over the western world. Its probably more of an issue overseas as the salaries may be lower and interest rate deals on mortgages far higher than uk.

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Originally posted by gunner
PRICED OUT OF THE MARKET

Public sector workers are being priced out of the property market across most of the UK, a new report has claimed.

Nurses cannot afford to buy their own home in 78% of towns, the Halifax research has shown.


Police officers are priced out of the market in 63% of places, while property is unaffordable for teachers in 62%.

Britain's biggest mortgage lender says the average UK house price of £139,716 is now almost six times higher than the average nurse's salary of £24,000.

Unsurprisingly the problem is worst in London, where the average cost of a property is £232,421 - the equivalent to more than eight times a nurse's salary and nearly seven times a teacher's.

Things are not much better in the South East, where property costs around £199,328.

The Halifax found that the problem has now spread to the South West, East Anglia and the East and West Midlands.

Even though property remains largely affordable in Wales, the North, North West and Yorkshire and the Humber, soaring house prices in these regions during 2003 are stretching house price to earnings ratios.

However, the Government said more than 7,000 key workers had so far bought homes through its Starter Home Initiative.

This gives help to people in London and the South East and housing hot spots in Eastern and South West England.

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Policeman over £30,000.

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Originally posted by Merlot
Hi Gunner

Let us know what YOU are facing over there, I saw this info on Sky News and it is not relevant to me as I don't plan to buy.

To be honest it is the same situation here in Sydney and now on NSW Central Coast, over priced housing market and first tiem buyers struggling.

Don't forget, the posters like experience over cut & paste. It shows that you have thoughts about it.

Cheers
Merlot

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Originally posted by iaink
Average houshold income in Canada $64.5k
Average canadian house price $168k

Average british house price 147k GPB
Average british household income 23.5k GPB


My experience in rural ontario, about 120miles from Toronto, 1300sq ft 3 bed house on 3/4 acre overlooking beautiful river, $130k, just over twice my salary as an engineer. I left the UK cos I couldnt afford to buy a house, and now I fear I will never afford to be able to go back.

I have no idea how teachers or nurses ever get a place of there own in the UK without parental or other financial aid.

Iain


Sources
http://www2.ccnmatthews.com/scripts/.../0317027n.html

http://www.readersdigest.ca/mag/2003/05/home.html

http://www.tiscali.co.uk/cgi-bin/new...ews_story.html

http://www.thegoodwebguide.co.uk/cha...gory_id=000119

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Originally posted by gunner
PRICED OUT OF THE MARKET

Public sector workers are being priced out of the property market across most of the UK, a new report has claimed.

Nurses cannot afford to buy their own home in 78% of towns, the Halifax research has shown.


Police officers are priced out of the market in 63% of places, while property is unaffordable for teachers in 62%.

Britain's biggest mortgage lender says the average UK house price of £139,716 is now almost six times higher than the average nurse's salary of £24,000.

Unsurprisingly the problem is worst in London, where the average cost of a property is £232,421 - the equivalent to more than eight times a nurse's salary and nearly seven times a teacher's.

Things are not much better in the South East, where property costs around £199,328.

The Halifax found that the problem has now spread to the South West, East Anglia and the East and West Midlands.

Even though property remains largely affordable in Wales, the North, North West and Yorkshire and the Humber, soaring house prices in these regions during 2003 are stretching house price to earnings ratios.

However, the Government said more than 7,000 key workers had so far bought homes through its Starter Home Initiative.

This gives help to people in London and the South East and housing hot spots in Eastern and South West England.

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Originally posted by JayJay
Gunner
I'm trying to work out from your various posts if you are happy you moved out of the UK or not.
In the other section you have some posts which are quite nostalgic about the UK, yet on the 'Moving back to UK' forum you seem to be quite critical of it.
(There again my wife is always accusing me of being an Ameteur Psychologist and analysing everything to the nth degree)
Hope your move works out for you, if not you can always join the returnees, of which I hope to be one very soon (Haste the Day)

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Originally posted by gunner

No, we are moving beack to be with family and close friends. Get back to normality. The price of houses isn't an issue, it's expensive yes but it's the least of our worries.:rolleyes:

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