More than half of aspiring buyers doubt they’ll ever own home – Mortgage Finance Gazette
More than half of aspiring homeowners doubt that they will ever get onto the housing ladder, new research has found.
The latest annual survey by HomeOwners Alliance (HOA) reveals that the proportion of non-homeowners who aspire to get on the housing ladder has risen from 64% in 2025 to 73% this year.
However, it found that among those aspiring homebuyers, 52% doubt they will ever achieve their goal.
The findings suggest the lack of confidence is being compounded by widespread misunderstandings about mortgages.
HOA says many aspiring homeowners could be ruling themselves out before exploring their options.
It found that 62% believe they need a deposit of at least 10%, despite the availability of lower-deposit mortgages.
Similarly, 49% think borrowing is always limited to four or five times their income, although some lenders now offer higher income multiples to eligible borrowers.
Nearly half (47%) believe the lowest interest rate automatically means the cheapest mortgage overall, overlooking fees and total borrowing costs, while 40% assume their existing bank will offer the best mortgage deal.
A quarter believe they cannot explore mortgage options until they have found a property.
The research also highlights the barriers preventing existing homeowners from moving.
Almost three-quarters (74%) say financial factors such as mortgage rates, deposits and stamp duty would need to improve to make moving easier.
Lower mortgage rates would encourage 42% of homeowners to move, rising to 50% among those with a mortgage.
More than a third (36%) say lower stamp duty would help, while 31% point to lower deposit requirements.
However, cost is not the only obstacle.
More than a third (37%) say reforms to the buying and selling process would make moving easier, with a quarter calling for transactions to become legally binding earlier to reduce fall-throughs and one in five wanting a faster, more digital process.
The availability of suitable homes is also restricting mobility, particularly among older homeowners.
Nearly a third of those aged over 55 say more appropriate housing, including bungalows and other later-life homes, would make it easier to move, compared with 27% of homeowners overall.
HomeOwners Alliance chief executive Paula Higgins says: “It is deeply concerning that more than half of aspiring homeowners believe they will never get onto the ladder.
“Some face very real affordability barriers, but others may be counting themselves out because of outdated assumptions about deposits, borrowing limits or their eligibility for a mortgage.”
She adds that as well as tackling myths around mortgage eligibility, “the government and industry must also tackle the high cost of moving, improve the buying and selling process and ensure the right homes are being built for people at every stage of life”.
