If you have just bought your first property, then congratulations, you’ve conquered the most inhospitable housing market for the past 15 years. You are also part of an increasingly rare species. The number of first-time buyers in the UK has fallen to a 26-year low.

Extraordinarily high house prices are forcing those who do brave the market into stretching their finances to the limit. The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors estimates a typical couple needs to save more than £32,000 for costs before they even move into their home. The average price of a first home is now £150,000, according to Halifax, while in London it is £250,000.