A new generation of pensioners are forgoing the cliché of living in quiet seaside towns for the hustle and bustle of city life. Rather than selling up their London pads and moving south, they are embracing the 'retirement nirvana' that's right on their doorsteps.

In 2013, property prices in the UK increased by over 11%. Living spaces may be getting more expensive (and smaller) but new schemes aim to make houses better connected and personally serviced too. How are people and brands reacting to the changing nature of our homes?

The UK's YMCA has developed a living unit dubbed the Y:Cube. It offers a solution to the lack of affordable housing, particularly in large cities like London. The units are studio-like apartments made for single occupancy, and can even be stacked together.

“I would rather live in a cupboard in Soho than in a mansion in Surrey,” says 50-year-old Vishnia. Urban retirees are embracing life after work as a chance to learn and explore. And owning 80% of the UK's net personal wealth, they can afford to. But what’s driving them to the city?

House prices are soaring, and the average age of a first-time buyer is now 35. Student debt and a highly competitive job market is forcing 36% of Millennials to live with their parents. The Barclays Family Springboard Mortgage has a solution: borrow from the bank of mum and dad.

With Australians in their 20s and 30s entering the housing market later than their parents – and in much smaller numbers – they've been termed "generation rent". And while owning a home isn't the sum total of the great Australian dream, the young still feel like they're missing out.

In cities across the world, rent for apartments continues to climb, often pricing Millennials out of the market as they struggle to find affordable living spaces. But the housing industry is taking notice, and companies like Heijmans may have found a solution.

NatWest has created a London borough comparison tool for people looking to buy property. Its criteria ranges from property prices and school ratings to travel costs and crime rate, and is designed to accompany NatWest's First Time Buyer Mortgages.