The Intermediary – January 2026 - Flipbook - Page 81
Steady growth
KATE CUNNINGHAM
mortgage adviser at The Mortgage Corner Ltd
JESSICA O’CONNOR
is deputy editor
at The Intermediary
behaviour continues to evolve.
According to Kate Cunningham,
mortgage adviser at The Mortgage
Corner Ltd, the firm has “seen a 16%
increase in residential purchase
applications compared to the same
period last year,” which she describes
as “a positive sign of steady, gradual
growth.”
Yet beneath that upli, the
profile of applications is shiing.
Cunningham explains that “there
has been a decline in like-for-like
remortgage applications,” but at the
same time “a noticeable increase in
applications involving capital raising”
as homeowners look to fund debt
consolidation, home improvements,
and other personal financial needs.
For James Green, managing
director at Green & Green Mortgage
and Protection, the past 18 months
have marked a distinct re-emergence
of both first-time buyers and home →
ver the past nine months, we’ve seen a 16% increase in
residential purchase applications compared to the same period
last year, a positive sign of steady, gradual growth. However,
despite the overall rise in purchase activity, there has been a
slight decline in applications from first-time buyers.
While overall demand for residential mortgages in recent months
remains broadly in line with the same period last year, we’ve observed a
shi in the types of transactions being completed.
ere has been a decline in like-for-like remortgage applications, but a
noticeable increase in applications involving capital raising – oen for
purposes such as debt consolidation, home improvements, and other
personal financial needs.
Within the buy-to-let mortgage market, we’ve seen a rise in clients
interested in purchasing property through a limited company structure,
largely driven by potential tax advantages. In response, many lenders
are expanding their offerings to cater to this growing demand.
As a reputable mortgage brokerage, we take pride in offering tailored
advice and securing the most competitive interest rates for our clients
based on their individual circumstances. Recently, for residential
applications, we’ve seen an increase in recommendations for lenders
such as Barclays, Nationwide, and NatWest. is is oen due to their
higher maximum working age limits for earned income, strong
affordability assessments, flexible stance on minor credit issues, and
competitive interest rates.
Similarly, within our buy-to-let applications, we’ve seen a rise in
recommendations to e Mortgage Works (TMW) due to their flexible
approach to larger portfolios and limited company structures. BM
Solutions and Virgin Money have also become popular choices, offering
more accommodating criteria for smaller landlords, along with
competitive interest rates and favourable stress testing.
While we specialise across all areas of the mortgage market,
residential lending makes up a significant proportion of our client base.
Within this segment, we’ve observed that the average age of first-time
O
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January 2026 | The Intermediary
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