Times are tough for young people in the property market – so an ever-helpful Brian Page takes a look at some smart places to rent.

GRIM reading from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation recently, with a new report warning that more than a million young people will be locked out of home ownership by 2020 and the number of home-owners under 30 halving to just 1.3 million.

As if that were not bad enough, an estimated 3.7 million young people will be living with their parents – the so-called ‘boomerang generation’ that returns home to stay.

Now, we don’t mean to make light of that situation but, much as we love our own little darlings, bless ’em, the last thing we want is them coming home to live with us.

So, as a helpful guide – and for parents in similar situations to pass on to their own offspring – here are some smashing homes for young people to rent in the York area until they can, or want to, get on the property ladder, starting with a super modern apartment in Aldwark House, Fulford Place, a bright modern flat which has two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a large open plan living/dining room with kitchen off.

You can save on the legs here as the apartments are served by a lift – and use your energy for the short walk into the city centre. Allocated off-street parking is included in the rental of £725pcm. Apply to Quantum.

Ashtons, meanwhile, can also offer a smart modern apartment in Ramsey House, Heworth, again within walking distance of the city centre. It is on the first floor and is to let on an unfurnished basis. It boasts an entrance hall, open-plan lounge/dining/kitchen area (including appliances such as a washer/dryer, fridge/freezer, electric oven and hob).

The living area has full floor-to-ceiling windows on one side giving nice views over the communal gardens.

The master bedroom has an en-suite shower room and there is a second double bedroom and house bathroom.

Again, allocated parking comes with the asking price of £695pcm.

Another first-floor apartment, next, this one in Grosvenor Terrace, Bootham, a more traditional property which has been recently refurbished and, say the agents, has stunning views of York Minster.

It is made up of a lounge/dining room, kitchen with cooker, fridge/freezer and washer/dyer, two double bedrooms and bathroom.

Nice neutral decor throughout, with gas-fired central heating and double glazing. Residents on-street permit parking. The rental of £640pcm includes water and sewerage costs.

Linley and Simpson, meanwhile, recommend an unfurnished twobedroomed apartment in Alne Terrace, off Heslington Road. Here you have an entrance hall with airing and storage cupboard, a lounge/diner, kitchen with oven and gas hob, fridge/freezer, washing machine and dishwasher, one double bedroom with a double bed and wardrobe and a smaller double bedroom with a wardrobe and a bathroom with shower over the bath.

The property also benefits from an allocated parking space and a storage shed. The rental is £650pcm.

If you’re going solo – or don’t need or want a second bedroom – then you might have a look at a one-bedroom apartment in Kensington House, Aldborough Way, which has nice views over the nearby riverside parkland. This flat offers a large double bedroom, a recently-refurbished shower room, a living room and fitted kitchen – and there is a cycle store, allocated parking and it is close to a pleasant riverside cycleway into the city centre. The rental sought by Letters of Distinction is £595pcm.

The same agent also offers a twobedroom apartment in Rawcliffe House, Cobham Way, which, briefly, offers one double and one single bedroom, bathroom, large sitting room and contemporary, fully-fitted kitchen. There is allocated parking included in the rental of £595pcm.

Moving on from apartments, Ashtons have two interesting properties on their books. The first is a very pretty-looking modern mid-townhouse in Roseberry Grove, Clifton Moor, giving good access to the city centre, ring road and the shopping centre.

On the ground floor it has a lounge with French doors out to a rear garden, a smart kitchen with built-in oven and hob, fridge and washing machine and a cloakroom. Upstairs there are two double bedrooms and a house bathroom.

With a nice garden and off street parking this one is worth a look at a rental of £650pcm.

The second Ashtons property is in Clementhorpe, an ‘immaculate’ townhouse offered on an unfurnished basis. It has a living room and kitchen on the ground floor and two double bedrooms and a bathroom upstairs. The rental for this attractive property is £695pcm.

Or you could nip out to Ash Street, off Poppleton Road, where we find an extremely well-presented traditional mid-terrace of the two-up, two-down variety, with a living room with dining area, fully-fitted kitchen and two bedrooms and a house bathroom – there is also access to the converted loft space. “Viewing recommended,” say the agents Letters of Distinction, who are seeking £625pcm.

Going modern, we next pick out a smart town house in Kingsland Terrace in the Leeman Road area which, offered furnished, boasts an entrance hall, lounge, dining kitchen, two double bedrooms and a bathroom.

There is (a quite pretty) enclosed rear garden and off-street parking. Reeds Rains are seeking £625pcm.

And now, in our last-but-definitelynot- least spot, we have a super apartment in Grange House, in West Grange Court, Clifton.

It’s a nicely presented first-floor apartment in what the agents describe as a ‘prestigious’ development – and it certainly looks smart enough. Available for rent either furnished or unfurnished, it offers a reception hall leading to a sitting room/dining room, a master bedroom with en-suite shower room, a second bedroom and a house bathroom.

“An internal inspection is recommended in order to appreciate the size and quality of the accommodation on offer,” say the letting agents Hudson Moody who are seeking a rental of £795pcm.