Older generation trapped

A report out today in one of the main stream newspapers highlights the difficulty being experience by the over 55’s to find an appropriate property to downsize to due to limited availability.

In fact millions of older people are actually trapped in properties too large for their needs due to a shortgae of suitable sized housing a study has revealed. As in most families the children reach an age where they want to “fly the nest” this leaves their parents or parent living in a home too big for their needs, research suggests that almost a third of over 55’s have considered downsizing in the last 5 years.

It was reported that The Financial services company Legal & General carried out the new research with the Centre for Economic and Business Research, they confirmed there were 3.3 million older people in oversized properties worth £820 billion overall.

The housing shortage appears to affect the complete spectrum of homeowners, from those looking to upsize to those looking to downsize, there is no doubt there is a crisis that needs addressing immediately, projected figures estimate that around 210,000 need to be built in Britain a year over the next 20 years to meet present demand.

 

 

 

Allen Walkey

Highly experienced businessman with a successful career in property sales and investment both in the UK and abroad. Now a freelance writer and blogger for the property and Investment Industry, keeping readers up-to-date with changes and events in a rapidly changing world.

You May Also Enjoy

Breaking News

Breaking Property News 11/6/26

Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X.   Leasing decisioning platform set to scale with new injection of investment Findigs, the AI-native leasing decisioning platform that helps residential operators across the U.S. improve revenue and grow their bottom line, announced that it closed a $32 million Series C funding round led by…
Read More
Breaking News

Cost of void periods climbs by as much as 53% for landlords

Landlords face growing pressure on profits as the cost of void periods climbs by as much as 53%.   The latest research by property management specialist, Rushbrook & Rathbone, has found that the average cost to landlords as a result of void periods between tenancies has climbed by as much as 52.9% across some areas…
Read More
Breaking News

Lack of Supply Keeps Upward Pressure on Rents

More ‘affordable’ areas see rents rise two times faster than the national average    Rents are rising 5% on average in more affordable areas where rents are below £750pcm – over twice the national average of 2.1% Regionally, Carlisle (+9.1%), Kilmarnock (+9%) and Halifax (+6.5%) are among the fastest-rising markets where rents are rising quickly…
Read More
Rightmove logo
Breaking News

First-time buyer price hotspots revealed

New analysis from the UK’s largest property platform Rightmove, reveals where first-time buyer prices are rising fastest across Great Britain Bridlington in East Riding of Yorkshire (£167,321) and St Helens in Merseyside (£133,106) lead the way, with average asking prices up 18% compared to last year Falkirk (+17% to £118,327) and Hartlepool (+12% to £104,76)…
Read More
Breaking News

Summer set to bring seasonal spike in homeseller activity

The latest analysis by Foxtons has revealed that while autumn is traditionally the busiest time of year for the property market, summer is the ideal time for homeowners to get their property ready and listed if they want to take advantage of the heightened buyer activity still to come in 2026. Foxtons analysed government property transaction…
Read More
Breaking News

World’s Football Stadiums Occupy Incredibly Valuable Real Estate

The latest research from LandSale, the property portal dedicated to land and rural property, has revealed which nations competing at the 2026 FIFA World Cup are sitting on the most valuable home turf, based on current land values surrounding their national stadiums. LandSale analysed the primary home stadium used by each national team and applied…
Read More