More second steppers are having to borrow from family and friends to trade up the property ladder, with one third (33%, up from 27% last year) saying that they require financial support from their mum and dad, grandparents or friends.
Many homeowners ready to take their second step on the property laddernow rely on financial help from family and friendsto help make the jump from their first home,Lloyds Bank Second Steppers report has found.
More second steppers are having to borrow from family and friends to trade up the property ladder, with one third (33%, up from 27% last year) saying that they require financial support from their mum and dad, grandparents or friends.
The average amount that second steppers expect to borrow has also increased by over £4,000 (£4,219) compared to last year to £25,450, despite 57% having already received financial support for their first property worth an average of £19,824.
AndrewMason, mortgageproductsdirector at Lloyds Bank,said: “Support from generous family and friends remains vital in helping second steppers in taking the next step on the property ladder, despite more second steppers now feeling optimistic about the housing market.
“We continue to see parents make big sacrifices as their children return for help with housing for a second time.
“However, to ease the burden on parents, we are seeing more second steppers plan ahead for their next big move by saving and paying more to their mortgage.”
In addition, nearly three-fifths (58%) say they wouldn’t be able to make their next move up the home-owning ladder without generous family and friends coming to the rescue.
As well as using equity from their current property (62%) and personal savings (39%), over one in five (22%) second steppers will mainly look to borrow from the Bank of Mum and Dad to raise the deposit required to fund their next move.
Grandparents will also be asked to support (13%) and even friends (6%).
Over half of parents (54%) will raid their own savings to provide help and just under half (48%) of these plan to downsize to release more equity to support their kids.
Two-fifths also planned to remortgage to raise money to give to their children so they can trade up the property ladder. Just under a third (29%) also said they will sell another property to help and nearly afifth (19%)said they would sacrifice holidays or hobbies in order to support their offspring.
But almost three in 10 (28%) second steppers have said that they will have fewer children than originally planned due to the challenges they have faced whilst trying to make the next move. This is up by 16% from last year.
More second steppers are also delaying having children due to the difficulties faced.
Although today’s second steppers need to borrow more from family and friends, two in five (40%) said that conditions have improved since last year.
There has also been an increase in the number of second steppers who are saving to support their next move, with 67% saying that they are making regular contributions to their savings, a slight increase from last year (61%).
The number of second steppers overpaying their mortgage to help increase equity has also increased from 41% to 47%.
The gap between the sale of a second steppers’ current property and the cost of their perfect home – usually a detached property – is now £135,985.
However, the average equity level of £85,877 can help reduce this gap by 63%, meaning that second steppers need to add an extra £50,108 to their existing mortgage.
Financial support isn’t the only thing stopping second steppers with 26% saying they have not found the right property yet and 25% saying that there is a lack of affordable property available.
