However 69 per cent of these graduates would not be able to raise the funds to buy the other out if the partnership turned sour.
The research has shown that only 44 per cent of graduates who have finished university in the last ten years have been able to get on the housing ladder, whether buying on their own or with another. Of these, females tend to be more keen to buy with friends.
Indeed, today's average graduate is already steeped in £10,586 of debt before they even consider getting on the property ladder.
Amanda Docherty, communications manager for Scottish Widows Bank, commented: “These findings tell us that first time buyers are increasingly pooling their resources in order to get on to the property ladder. In principle, with a widening gap between earnings and house prices, it is a good idea, as it can help overcome some affordability issues. Two salaries stretch further than one.
“However, this is not an arrangement that people should rush into. Nobody wants to end up in a situation where they find it extremely difficult to share a home with someone they no longer get on with but can’t afford to do anything about it. With no exit route in place, graduates need to be fully aware of the size of the commitment involved in buying with someone else.”
“Although buying together isn’t a new trend in itself, it appears that buying together out of wedlock or civil partnership is more popular now as is buying with friends and family.”
