First-time buyers taking unusual steps to secure elusive first home

10-Dec-2007

First-time buyers are so desperate to own their own properties that they are turning to an unlikely source - Facebook.

In an attempt to find someone to take out a joint mortgage with, many first-time buyers are signing up to a new group on the social networking website.

The page links buyers in much the same way as online daters would find new partners and is the brainchild of James Cartlidge, who wanted to help people get in touch with other potential sharers.

Around 70 people signed up to the Share to Buy group in the first week, and entered details including where they want to live, how much they have to spend and the type of person they would ideally like to live with.

One of the people who are looking for someone to share with is Kay Ferris, who is seeking a flat in London but is not fussy about who she has to live with.

"They would have to be a professional, but I don't think I would mind if they were male or female. I don't think you can tell if you could live with someone until you meet them," she told the Daily Mail.

"I would definitely want to meet them in the flesh to see how we got on. But I'm not worried about lots of people contacting me on the web - it will give me a lot of options."

Joint ownership mortgages allow people to share the cost of a deposit and mortgage payments in return for a proportionate stake in the house.

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