FINDING an affordable property in South Essex is achievable, according to those responding to a study investigating how much you would need to earn to get on the housing ladder.

Yesterday, the Echo outlined what salary is required for people to buy properties in in South Essex. In Southend buyers would need to be earning above the national average wage of £27,600.

The majority of responders to the story agreed they have faced difficulties when it comes to buying their own property.

But other readers claimed while tricky, it is not impossible to afford to buy property outright if you are sensible with savings and they encouraged people not to give up.

First-time buyers faced the most difficult according to some but Sabrina Berry says hard work and extreme saving is the way to go about it.

She said: I’m 25 now and bought at 20 years of age in Basildon. It was the only place I could afford to buy a house in as I didn’t want a flat.

“Some of my friends my age with partners have bought properties and they all did it through hard work and saving up.

“Working a lot over a two-year period saving all money is worth it in long run.

“I’m now a single mum who has a mortgage and raises her kid by working. It can be done. I know so many who are proof of it.”

Others have had a helping hand. Zoe Ann Scarpa claimed buying a property is actually very do-able, provided you’re sensible and receive help.

She said: “We have a three-bed house in Rayleigh and combined we earn £23,000 per year.

“We had a flat first in Southend for which my husband’s parents were able to give us money for deposit. We sold that then got our house. We were lucky to get it within our price range without it going to buy to let landlords.”