First-time buyers are willing to go to considerable lengths in a bid to get onto the property ladder, a new survey has revealed.

According to Abbey Mortgages, a quarter of would-be homeowners are looking for a property in less expensive areas of the UK, while 16 per cent are considering leaving the country altogether in search of a home.

The poll also revealed that 39 per cent of buyers would take two jobs in order to finance their property purchase, with 16 per admitting that they would be willing to work at three different jobs in order to find their dream house.

Nici Audhlam-Gardiner, head of Abbey Mortgages, said: "Although it can be more difficult these days to become established on the property ladder than it has been for previous generations, there are still a number of options for first-time buyers that don''t require taking such drastic measures."

First-time buyers may be well-positioned to benefit from a slowing housing market, with recent house price forecasts predicting that price growth will fall next year.