MortgagesJan 21 2016

Mortgage brokers are happier than ever: Natwest

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Mortgage brokers are happier than ever: Natwest

Confidence among mortgage brokers about market prospects have reached record high levels, according to the NatWest Intermediary Solutions’ Market Confidence Barometer.

Measuring the confidence levels of 450 mortgage intermediaries, across six market components, the index recorded its highest score since it began in 2013, with a rise of 3.2 points - from 66.1 in March 2015 to 69.3 in December 2015.

Graham Felstead, head of NatWest Intermediary Solutions, said: “The continued sunny outlook for the residential mortgage market has certainly been underlined by the survey.

“It appears that brokers have high expectations for remortgaging and have great confidence that lenders will be able to offer funding to their customers. It appears that they are pretty upbeat about the affordability prospects for first-time buyers.

“The only real concern that brokers have is over the supply of suitable properties for people to buy which could inhibit some market growth.”

Mike Richards, director of London-based Mortgage Concepts Associates, said: “I agree in part, everyone I speak to is extremely busy at present. There is a bit of push on buy-to-let, to get people over the finishing line before 31 March.

“There is definitely a lot of confidence in house prices especially in the London area and in equity, which people could use to refinance at a lower rate.

“I have not noticed confidence with first-time buyers but lenders are helping with affordability and rates not being likely to go up in the near future certainly helps.”