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Mortgage affordability for people who want to buy a home has hit its highest level for six years.

Just one in three consumers say that keeping up with monthly mortgage payments is a barrier to buying a property, the lowest figure since 2009.

The BSA's Property Tracker shows that affordability has dramatically improved over the past 12 months.

In June 2014, 49% of consumers said that mortgage repayments were a barrier to buying a home, today that figure is 33%.

Over the same period, average mortgage rates have fallen from 3.73% to 3.19% today.

Lack of job security has also fallen as a barrier.

Raising a deposit, which is still the biggest challenge for buyers, has remained steady at 59%.

With the economic outlook improving, 56% think house prices will rise over the coming year.

Only 12% said they didn't think now was a good time to buy a property, the lowest on record since the property tracker began in 2008.

Paul Broadhead, head of mortgage policy at the BSA, said: "Whilst it is good news that sentiment remains robust in the housing market, we are still seeing some uncertainty.

"The number of people who believe now is a good time to buy a property has fallen by a few percentage points in the past quarter, possibly a result of the prospective bank rate rise towards the end of this year or early next."

Broadhead said competition is returning to the mortgage market, giving prospective buyers greater options.

And he said building societies were winning the mortgage war when it comes to rates.

"The average building society rate is 2.98%, that is 0.21 percentage points lower than the market.

"We encourage everyone to shop around if they are looking to get a mortgage. If they do, they are more likely to get a better deal."

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