Younger buyers are queuing up to step onto the property ladder in spite of the costs involved, a new survey reveals.

People in their twenties continue to provide a great deal of the impetus for the property market, with one in four looking to buy a home in the next two years, the survey showed.

This is the highest of any age group in a survey of 4,000 adults, carried out by the Alliance & Leicester bank.

The results of this survey could cast doubt on the views of some commentators that house price inflation will slow as potential buyers find it harder to buy their first home or trade up.

Paul Cooper, head of mortgages at Alliance & Leicester, said: "Young people's desire to get on the property ladder shows that buyers have long-term faith in the UK housing market."

'Less expensive than renting'

People in their twenties cited several reasons as to why they wanted to take the plunge and buy a home.

More than a third of twenty-somethings said they believed that buying property was less expensive than renting.

The second most popular reason was that buying a home would mean greater independence.

Among prospective buyers in their thirties, more bedrooms and bigger gardens were key as they looked to start or enlarge a family.

Region by region

Londoners are keenest to make the move with 13% of those surveyed from the capital saying they were looking to buy a home in the next two years.

The happiest to stay put are people in the south west of England - only 7% of people surveyed from that area said they were likely to move.

Overall, nationwide, the proportion of those looking to move had slipped slightly compared to a year ago.

Only 11% of those questioned are planning on buying a home in the next two years, down from 15% a year ago.