Buy to Let – The ‘opportunity to buy at a discount’ is driving many landlords to increase their portfolio a new survey has revealed.
In a study of more than 300 landlords, 34% said they had either recently purchased another buy-to-let property (BTL) or intended to buy one within the next nine months.
While the most common reason for their additional purchase was the opportunity to buy at a discount, other key factors included long‑term investment (35%), stamp duty savings (34%) and diversification by either location (26%) or property type (23%).
The survey also revealed how 43% of landlords surveyed said that they had temporarily lowered rents during the pandemic to help tenants, with 22% saying they had refinanced their mortgages since the arrival of coronavirus.
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Paul Fryers said: “Understanding the purchasing motivations behind professional landlords is an essential factor for Zephyr and our mortgage broker clients.
“It’s equally important to recognise and appreciate some of the challenges landlords have been facing during the past year and how they will affect their current and future applications.
“During the pandemic we saw a significant rise in the use of limited companies to buy and manage property portfolios, and it seems a significant proportion of landlords have made the most of the opportunities provided by the buoyant market conditions we have experienced over the past six months.”
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The survey also revealed only 7% of landlords had taken a mortgage holiday and 13% had sold a property during the pandemic.
Those landlords who did not purchase additional buy-to-let properties over the last year cited ‘declining rental yields’ (51%) and ‘concern about economic stability’ (42%) as their main reasons.
Matt Trevett added: “Although the buy-to-let market has remained more buoyant than some predicted, the last year has not been without its challenges for many tenants and landlords.
“The survey suggests a large proportion of landlords have been acting to support their tenants, with a significant proportion saying they had temporarily lowered rents during the pandemic.
“A recent survey also showed that the pandemic has triggered movement from cities to towns and the countryside, so landlords seeking to rebalance their portfolios may look to make purchases that reflect that trend.”
Source: Mortgage Finance Gazette
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