Average five-year fixed mortgage rates have climbed to 6.00%, their highest level in three years, according to data from Moneyfacts.
With a typical deposit for a first home now around £17,000, BBC Business outlines approaches aspiring buyers can use to build savings.
Shares in British housebuilders jumped after the government unveiled a new scheme aimed at helping first-time buyers, though implementation details remain unclear.
Homeowners describe widening cracks and long waits for repairs as insurers grapple with rising subsidence claims linked to dry conditions, according to a report by The Guardian.