With the housing market in the UK facing turbulent times, first-time buyers are finding it increasingly difficult to get their foot on the property ladder.

With the average first time buyers' property price marked at around £162,000, those wishing to move out of their parents' house and settle into a place of their own might have to wait that little bit longer.

Despite the average asking price for property dropping by around £11,000 - according to research carried out by a leading property search website, first-time buyers still face difficulties in finding affordable mortgages.

Despite a base rate cut this December, the cost of mortgages is increasing - with the recent credit crunch leading to changes in factors such as stricter lending rules, falling house prices and rising mortgage rates.

And with many competitive fixed-rate and discount mortgage schemes having being pulled, first-time buyers now face more difficulties in finding an affordable deal.

For those searching for a 100% mortgage, the prospect can look even bleaker, with many lenders pulling such deals from the market within the last half a year.

And with rising student debts and average graduate salaries that don't go so far in helping to pay them off, young people face a rocky start when looking to get their first foot on the property ladder.

Increasing levels of debt and high property prices are contributing to a growing number of ‘kidults' - those who still live at home with their parents.

Steep house prices, increasing student expenses and the rise in the cost of living having contributed to more young people choosing to remain in their parents' households, and the recent credit crunch has made it more difficult for those wishing to fly the nest.

And it's not just the young people who feel the squeeze of the spiralling costs, with parents now contributing an average of around £21,000 towards the cost of their offspring's first home.

According to a survey, roughly one in 7 parents now choose to remortgage or take out a loan in order to help out their offspring, placing yet more financial pressure on those already on tight budgets.

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