Five biggest hurdles to homeownership

With mortgage rates still near historical lows, why aren’t more present owners making a move or new buyers jumping in to purchase?

Housing analysts blame student loan debt, overly strict lending standards, and lost equity as the leading culprits behind a sluggish housing recovery. But what do homeowners say?

Mortgage information site HSH.com surveyed 786 homeowners at the end of 2013 about their experiences when it came to finding and financing their home. The top six biggest hurdles to homeownership were identified as:

1. Home prices (named by 23.5 percent respondents): Rising home prices are not just difficult for young buyers. Homeowners aged 50 to 59 reported the highest incidence of struggling with higher home prices.

2. Down payment (22.9 percent): Those aged 18 to 29 reported the least trouble with down payments, while home owners aged 30 to 39 and 50 to 59 reported the highest incidence of down-payment struggles.

3. Credit score: 12.8 percent

4. Interest rates: 12.6 percent

5. Property taxes: 7.3 percent.