The Intermediary – February 2026 - Flipbook - Page 89
JESSICA O’CONNOR
is deputy editor
at The Intermediary
particularly pronounced “in family
homes and good commuter locations –
particularly where there’s easy access
to rail and tram links and the M60.”
That demand, however, is operating
in a recalibrated environment. Street
adds: “Pricing feels more balanced
than it was at the peak and sellers
are having to be realistic, but wellpresented homes in the right areas are
still moving.”
From a complementary perspective,
Lee Daffern, protection and mortgage
broker at Just Mortgages, describes
a market that “remains healthy but
moderate,” with prices “still on the rise
but not rapidly increasing.”
However, he is also quick to
emphasise that “buyers are as
cautious as ever.” In fact, affordability
constraints continue to underpin
Stockport’s appeal, with Daffern
noting “the area remaining affordable
compared with central Manchester
or East Cheshire,” particularly
for family buyers. According to
Daffern, this is most evident in the
competition for “well-priced three- or
four-bedroom homes” in areas like
Cheadle, Heaton Moor, Bramhall,
and Hazel Grove. It is the properties
in these areas that Daffern says, “oen
aract multiple buyer interest and sell
quickly,” sometimes pushing prices
higher and prompting the question of
“how long will these types of homes
remain affordable.”
Against a backdrop, Street notes
that “overall, it feels like a market
that’s stabilised rather than stalling,”
with buyers simply taking longer
to decide, before proceeding with
greater intent.
Market trends
That more deliberate approach is also
shaping how borrowers and advisers
are engaging with the market at a
practical level. As Street notes: “People
are stress-testing affordability more
carefully and asking beer questions
about management costs, ongoing
bills, and future rate movements.”
This is, in turn, feeds directly into
product choice with Street citing
“more clients weighing up 2-year
versus 5-year fixes based on portfolio
growth plans and aspirations, rather
than defaulting to one option.”
Capital strategy is also evolving, as
advisers report a marked push from
borrowers to get to the next loanto-value (LTV) bracket to improve
pricing – whether through private
investor funds or delaying a purchase
to build deposit.
Alongside these forward-looking
decisions, the broader tone remains
measured. Daffern describes
conditions as “still relatively healthy
however people are still being
cautious,” a balance that is particularly
visible in borrower behaviour.
Rather than trading up, he notes
that “remortgage activity remains
strong with more people willing to
remain and improve rather than sell
and upsize.”
Prevailing demographics
Borrower and buyer demographics
in Stockport continue to reflect its
broad population base. With around
634,000 residents across the postcode
area, an average age of 42.4 years, not
to mention a population growth of
8.4% since the early 2000s, the area
naturally lends itself to longer-term
ownership and portfolio building,
rather than short-term churn.
This is borne out in adviser
experience. As Street explains: “Our
core demographic is typically formed
of a mix of professional investors
and landlords, property developers,
property traders – those looking to
capitalise on profits and begin to build
out a portfolio – and landlords with
small-to-medium portfolios.”
Over the past year, however, that
profile has subtly shied in tone
if not composition, with Street
noting “a slight shi towards clients
wanting more certainty – more
remortgage reviews ahead of time,
more appetite for structured debt, and
more questions around affordability →
February 2026 | The Intermediary
87
