Fixed rate mortgage supplier Halifax has announced that the affordability of property in Britain has enhanced in last few months.

According to the financial provider, 94 per cent of first-time buyers in the UK were not required to pay stamp duty between January and June 2010.

The lender claims that monthly mortgage payments as a percentage of income are nearly half that of the level of 2007. Affordability for first-time buyers reached its worst point in June 2007 when half of a typical new homeowner's disposable income was being swallowed up by mortgage payments. The proportion has now dropped to a much-more manageable 28 per cent

However there is some proof that lenders' meanness is beginning to ease, says Andrew Hagger of Moneynet. co. uk. "The competition which has driven rates lower in the mainstream mortgage market has started to filter through to first-time buyer deals and even though many of the better rates are reserved for those with at least a 25 per cent stake to put down, we are seeing more choice and some lower pricing at 90 per cent loan to value," he says.

His view is backed up by Melanie Bien, director of mortgage broker Private Finance. "There is more choice of product for those with a 10 per cent deposit than there was a year ago," she reports.

Stephen Noakes, commercial director for mortgages at the company, said: "Whilst there are still challenges in raising deposits, other market conditions are more positive."

He claimed that enhancing affordability equates to the proportion of a first-time buyer's salary’s that must go towards meeting mortgage payments is now below the 25-year average.

This comes after government figures revealed that house prices in the UK during June 2010 were nine per cent up on the previous year.