This week the Building Societies Association (BSA) published its latest Property Tracker' survey figures. It always makes for an interesting read, providing a reliable insight into what clients are thinking about the market at any given time.
What I thought was particularly interesting this month is that securing a mortgage is now seen as the single most difficult hurdle to overcome for those seeking to get on the first rung of the housing ladder.
According to the BSA, in fact, not since 2012 has this (and problems getting the deposit) been such a challenge.
But what does this actually mean, in practical terms Are the UK's young destined to remain at the golden gates of homeownership for all of eternity In short, no.
When the changes under MMR were introduced back in April of this year, the aim was not to prevent people from being able to buy a home but rather, to ensure that those who did so could live happily in the knowledge that they were able to afford it - today, tomorrow and in the long term.
Call it a lesson learnt but allowing people to spend too far outside their means has not exactly been proven a success.
But this is not to say that owning a home is - and will long remain - a far-off dream for the UK's hard-working young.
And, at this point, I'll let the figures do the talking
According to the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML), gross mortgage lending rose by 10% in July - driven by none other than increased activity among first-time buyers and home movers.
The CML also found that the number of first time buyers in July has risen by 3%, compared to the month before - and 25% compared to the same time in 2013.
And there is no denying that this has spurred lenders on: gross mortgage lending in the second quarter of this year was up 11% on the first (£51.4bn) and an impressive 23% on 2013. Certainly not to be sniffed at.
It seems that while still not a mole hill (and by the way I don't think we'd want it to be), securing a mortgage is not the mountain some might believe it to be, and most importantly, that first time buyers are far from all out of luck.
*Eddie Goldsmith is Chairman of the Conveyancing Association and Senior Partner at Goldsmith Williams
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