The continued rise of London house prices are forcing professional first-time buyers out of the capital's property market, new research has found.

Just 46 per cent of professionals aged 25 to 34 years old questioned by the web portal Zoomf.com believe that they can afford to buy a home in the city, with many facing up to the prospect of having to rent for the foreseeable future.

"The market in London remains extremely competitive and with house prices showing no sign of relenting on their upward surge, an increasing amount of young people are unable to afford to buy their first home," commented Zoomf co-founder Mike Carter.

According to the statistics cited in the study, the average cost of a one-bedroom flat in London has now reached £265,333, a price that 84 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds feel is out of reach.

Mortgage repayments for such a property would come to £1,428, the website also stated.

The latest figures from the Halifax show that the average London property now costs 2.2 times more than a home in Scotland.