THINKING of buying a house? You'll need to be earning more than £50,000 in Weymouth and Portland.

House prices in the borough are around 10 times salary. And in west Dorset it's almost 12 times average salary.

The National Housing Federation is warning of an 'acute crisis' in the south west as house prices and renting costs go up again.

To afford an 80 per cent mortgage in Weymouth and Portland on an average-price house, you'd have to be earning £50,000.

In west Dorset, you'd need to be earning £66,000.

The average house price in the borough is now £221, 443 and in west Dorset it is £289,026.

The actual average wage in these areas is £22,000 and £24,000 respectively.

It means that most people would need a pay rise of around £30,000 to get a mortgage.

In Purbeck, the average house price is £317,000- meaning you'd need to be earning £72,000 for an 80 per cent mortgage.

The figures are published today as part of the 'Home Truths 2017' report.

A spokesman for the NHF said: "The South West faces a combination of high house prices and low wages resulting in an acute housing crisis. With cities, historical towns, many rural communities and long stretches of coast this is a diverse region with pockets of deprivation."

This report provides local data on the housing market in the South West and highlights that:

• The average house price is over £256,000 and in some areas it is much higher – house prices in the Cotswolds are almost 50% higher than the regional average.

• House prices are more than 10 times the average salary and households would need a pay rise of £33,600 to afford the average home.

• The average cost of renting is over £700 a month, swallowing up around 35% of local incomes.

• House prices in rural areas are roughly £6,500 higher than in urban areas. At the same time, incomes in these areas are lower, meaning that those living in rural areas face an additional squeeze on their finances.

• More than one in five second homes in England are found in the South West.

• We aren’t building enough homes in the region. There are 21,000 new households forming each year but less than 19,000 homes were built in 2015.

The situation for renters is also bleak, with the average price in Weymouth and Portland at £642 per month and £752 in west Dorset.

Jenny Allen, external affairs manager for the National Housing Federation in the South West, said: “As one of Britain’s most expensive regions, the South West has experienced first-hand the brunt of the housing crisis. The spike in house prices has had a devastating impact on rural communities, especially with young families being priced out. This is having a knock-on effect on local amenities, including shops and schools, and is detrimental to everyone.

“As this year’s Home Truths report shows, the number of homes built is far below what the region needs to keep up with demand. Housing associations are a vital part of the solution to the housing crisis.”

What do you think? Are you struggling to buy a home or afford your mortgage? Leave comments below.