HESWALL today emerges as the place in Merseyside where most people have paid off their mortgage and own their home outright.
A new study reveals almost half of householders in the Wirral community are now mortgage-free.
Homeowners in parts of Sefton and St Helens also figure highly in the property owning league, according to the report published by the Royal Bank of Scotland.
The survey has unearthed a surprising new trend that is emerging in the property market, with increasing numbers of people paying off their mortgages at a younger age. A spokeswoman for the RBS said last night: "We commissioned research into how and when people are paying off their mortgages and we've found that, contrary to popular opinion, Britain's mortgage-free dream is becoming a reality
"Home owners in the North West are paying off their mortgages at the age of just 52, slightly above the UK average of 51 and almost a third of households in the North West are now owned outright." If this average North West age follows the overall UK trend identified in the research, it could fall as low as 49 years of age during this year.
The total time people in the North West spend making mortgage repayments is now 22 years - a touch below the UK average of 23 years.
The trend towards outright ownership appears linked to a desire for security, with almost half of mortgagees in the North West saying that paying off their mortgage would be the single most important thing they could do to safeguard their sense of security.
Overall, an analysis of housing statistics shows that the number of homes in the North West owned outright has risen to almost a third of all households in the region.
Merseyside's top-ten areas for outright home ownership is: Heswall, 48% of homes, Ravenmeols, Sefton, 47% Harington, Sefton 47% Rainford, St Helens 46% Sudell, Sefton 46% Ainsdale, Sefton 45% Meols, Sefton 44% Eccleston, St Helens 44% Blundellsands, Sefton 43% Thurstaston, Wirral 42%
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