Owning your own home is no longer cheaper than renting.
I was an owner occupier from age 18 till age 60 and can assure you that owning your own property is not the ideal answer for everyone.
With it goes -- maintenance--- structure insurance-----and lack of easy ability to move to where there are better jobs----worries about needing repairs and improvements
In other European countries they do not have the same obsession with home ownership.
There are more and more
decent properties for rent becoming available. The days of negligent landlords are numbered.
So if you cant afford to buy, dont fret about it. You can still live in decent housing and worry less about any possible natural disasters eg floods, subsidence.
Another bonus-- if you get neighbours from hell ---it is easier and quicker to move
