More than half of prospective buyers would consider purchasing a home with a friend or family member as affordability pressures reshape the housing market, research suggests.
A survey commissioned by the online broker Mojo Mortgages found that 52% of prospective buyers had considered or would consider purchasing with someone other than a romantic partner. The proportion rose to 61% among members of Generation Z.
The findings come as younger adults increasingly delay or opt out of traditional relationships, leaving many to consider buying with friends or relatives rather than waiting for a partner.
Mojo described the practice as “platonic co-buying”, with participants combining their deposits and incomes to improve their purchasing power.
SOLE BUYERS FACE BORROWING GAP
Sole applicants represented 53% of Mojo’s customers in 2025, compared with 47.5% who applied jointly.
However, the broker’s figures indicated a considerable financial difference between the two groups. Joint applicants provided an average deposit of about £97,000, while the average among sole applicants was about £68,000.
A sole applicant can typically borrow between four and five times their salary. Mojo calculated that someone earning the average UK salary of £39,000 could therefore borrow between £156,000 and £195,000.
Joint applicants borrowed an average of about £301,000 in 2025, compared with £203,000 among sole applicants — a difference of about 48%.
The broker’s First-Time Buyer Sentiment Survey found that 23% of those aged between 18 and 24 would consider buying with friends. The next-highest proportion was recorded among people aged 65 and over, at 20%.
Almost 30% of first-time buyers said that they would buy only with a partner, while 19% would consider purchasing only by themselves.
LEGAL AND FINANCIAL COMMITMENT
Buying with a friend can allow purchasers to divide the cost of a deposit and household bills while increasing the amount they can borrow. However, it also creates a significant joint legal and financial commitment.
John Fraser-Tucker, head of mortgages at Mojo Mortgages, said: “With more young people prioritising independence and choosing to stay single, property ownership strategies are evolving rapidly. Buying solo is completely achievable, but when relying on one salary, the main barrier isn’t eligibility, it’s borrowing power.
“For those who want to buy without a romantic partner, non-romantic co-buying with friends or siblings is becoming a genuine alternative. However, for those who prefer sole ownership, there are several lesser-known pathways to boost affordability without taking on a full joint mortgage.”
