Landlords expected to expand portfolios

Published: April 24, 2008

People with buy-to-let mortgages are expected to increase or maintain their portfolios in the coming months.

New research has revealed that 44 per cent of intermediaries expect investors to purchase more properties.

It is thought that many will be able to take advantage of current market conditions to snap up relatively low-priced houses.

A further 44 per cent believe that those with buy-to-let mortgages will simply maintain their current portfolios for the time being.

It means that just 12 per cent predicted that landlords would choose to sell their properties in the current climate and the Mortgage Warehouse, the firm behind the research, said that experienced buy-to-let investors can do well in the market at present.

"Intermediaries are on the frontline of the mortgage market and so are well placed to assess the prospects of professional landlords," commented the firm's managing director Andy McQueen.

"Clearly the current climate is not ideal for first-time landlords, given the limited number of deals available to them, but experienced investors may find excellent opportunities in a cooling housing market to purchase additional property," he continued.