Economists say that the average age of a first time buyer who isn’t receiving financial help from their parents is 37 compared to 31 for those who are lucky enough to get help from Mum and Dad.

This is not surprising bearing in mind that the latest figure from the Council of Mortgage Lenders shows that the average deposit for a first time buyer has increased from £13,194 in September 2007 to £31,875 now.

And even when a buyer has their offer accepted, the problems don’t stop. Despite recent increases in sale prices, surveyors are still down grading house values and frequently the value they attach to the house for lending purposes is lower than the agreed sale price.

The Halifax has reported that house prices grew by 1.5% during the summer but the price of flats and maisonettes popular amongst first time buyers grew by nearer 2.5%. This is due to a shortage of affordable properties suitable for first time buyers.

The figures also show the affect of the lenders tightening up on lending multiples combined with lower prices post credit crunch. The average advance to first time buyers has fallen from £118,750 to £95,625.

All this is not good news for the property market. A healthy property market relies on all sectors of the market being buoyant.