Tottenham star shocked at London house prices

22 2008
One of the country's best paid footballers has highlighted the affordability crisis facing would-be first-time buyers in London.

Since moving from Middlesbrough to Tottenham, Jonathan Woodgate has been struggling to find a value-for-money home in the capital, mirroring a problem being faced by thousands of professionals.

"House prices are a joke, they are," the defender said.

"It's unbelievable. When you are looking about and you see some of the houses, you think "What?"."

"It's expensive for everyone, isn't it? You don't want to be blowing stupid money on a house," he added.

The player is currently living in a London hotel with his girlfriend, while growing numbers of professionals are opting to rent a property rather than struggle to buy one.

London's high house prices were also one reason why Chelsea midfielder Michael Ballack chose to rent a house in Wimbledon for some months after he and his family moved from Germany to England. ADNFCR-1219-ID-18479443-ADNFCR

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