Affordability boost for home buyers

Homes bought by first-time buyers have reached their most affordable levels since 2003 - but their numbers have hit a record low with a typical deposit of nearly £30,000, Halifax has found.

Houses bought by first-time buyers in November were found to be priced at "affordable" levels in 44% of local authority districts in the UK, the highest proportion for eight years, the First-Time Buyer Review found.