First step on the homeowner ladder, children's bedrooms, and the Waitrose effect: Property news

A rundown of the latest property statistics

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New research from Yorkshire Building Society indicates that 49 per cent of non-homeowners aged 35 to 40 who want to buy think it is unlikely they will ever own a property. Indeed, almost a third have even given up on buying. At the same time, the survey also found that more than two-thirds of those aged 18 to 40 felt that owning their own home was crucial to feeling that they had succeeded in life.

Improvements

About 14 per cent of homeowners are planning a home-improvement project, and only 58 per cent are happy with their home the way it is, according to a survey by Gocompare.com. The thing they most want to change is the kitchen, while one in 10 would add an extra bedroom and 8 per cent would make their home more energy-efficient.

Fiftysomethings

Nearly half of people aged over 50 say their home is in need of repairs, according to research by Saga. The most common things that needs fixing are gutters, although one in nine say their roof needs repairing and a similar number that their heating is broken. About one in five say they can't afford to pay someone to do the work needed.

Reviving properties

People making home improvements this year will spend an average of £3,400, according to a survey by American Express. The study found that they would spend an average of £678 on renovations (£1,598 in Edinburgh), £433 on home repairs (£653 in Leeds) and £314 on soft furnishings.

Home of your own

New government figures show that in 2015, 41,000 families were accepted as homeless by their local council, an 8 per cent rise in a year. The loss of a private tenancy is the biggest cause of homelessness, with more than 17,000 households becoming homeless after an eviction from a privately rented home in 2015 – three times as many households as five years ago. A poll by housing charity Shelter has also found that people aged 25-34 move once every five years, more than twice as frequently per year of their lifetime as pensioners.

Children's bedrooms

Just over 90 per cent of children would spend more time in their room if they could help to decorate it, but three-quarters of parents don't involve their children in its appearance, according to a report by Dulux. When asked to choose a theme for their bedroom, the top choice was "treehouse", followed by a slide, and then a Narnia-style wardrobe.

Waitrose

Property surrounding Waitrose stores costs £456,000 on average, says eMoov, up 7 per cent over the past year. The most expensive area is Kensington and Chelsea in London, where the average property around the Waitrose store costs nearly £2.6m, while the figure for Wolverhampton is the UK's lowest at £118,000.

Rent rise

The first monthly rent rises since autumn last year mean that average rents are now £791 per month across England and Wales, according to Your Move. This means that tenants are now paying 3.3 per cent more than 12 months ago. Regionally, rents have risen highest in the East Midlands, up 7 per cent, followed by the West Midlands (6.3 per cent) and the East of England (6.2 per cent).

Decluttering

About half of people moving house sell items for less than they're worth or give them away because they are in a rush. The findings from a poll by Capital One show that a quarter of people simply took everything – including wardrobes and fridges – to the local dump. A fifth of people sell items on to help cover moving costs, and a third donate belongings to charity shops.