Kent estate agent Michael Utchanah, lead partner of Robinson Michael & Jackson says things are looking up for first-time buyers

Sometimes it's hard to see past the national newspaper headlines, especially if you're a would-be first-time buyer.

It's worth remembering two things: negative headlines sell newspapers and what's happening on a national level rarely represents what your local property market is doing.

The real story behind the headlines is that in Kent affordability for first-time buyers is very good.

There is plenty of entry-level housing stock and just across the Medway, branches of Robinson Michael & Jackson have nearly 1,000 homes priced under the £250,000 stamp-duty threshold, 400 under the £162,912 national house price average and even 80 homes under £100,000.

Of course feasibility is never about the price but the financing of the purchase.

There is a myth that first-time buyers must have a deposit of 25 per cent of the property's worth before a lender will even look at them - perhaps you have read or heard this and believe it. However, this isn't true.

Every now and then some good property news does seep through, although you might have to trawl the finance pages for it. The latest and most heartening news is that better loan-to-value mortgages are becoming available for first-time buyers.

The Mortgage Advice Bureau is working with us across our branches to help property novices secure a mortgage that won't leave them crippled.

Current deals being arranged for our customers include 90 per cent and 95 per cent mortgages - deals not seen in almost a decade for those becoming a homeowner for the first time.

There's plenty of property out there; we're optimistic there's a mortgage out there for you too.