Chelmsford: Warning Over Homes Affordability

11 April 2014, 07:19 | Updated: 11 April 2014, 07:21

Chelmsford has been named as one of the toughest areas in the UK to get on the property ladder.

It is claimed Chelmsford is on the verge of an "affordability crisis'', with around 97% of houses out of reach of local people, according to a study.

Research by property search engine Adzuna.co.uk also highlighted London, Brighton, Oxford and Cambridge.

The comparison of property prices and average local salaries showed that Belfast, Sunderland, Salford and Hull were the most affordable places for first-time buyers.

In these areas, average property prices were 2.5 times average local earnings compared with over seven times in the most expensive cities.

Andrew Hunter of Adzuna said ``Despite government schemes like Help to Buy, it's clear that many parts of the country are on the verge of an affordability crisis, with young first-time buyers being almost completely priced out of the market.''