The majority of the growth has been seen in the remortgage sector where the product numbers increased by 5.4%, while home mover products increased by 2.0% and BTL product numbers reduced by 1.9%. When compared to pre-pandemic levels, the number of mortgage products is 6,630 (45.2%) lower than the nine-week average to 16th March. The increase is a result of lenders coming back to the market, increasing LTVs and relaxing some criteria.
Mark Lofthouse, CEO at Mortgage Brain, said: “The increase in product numbers for the last two weeks and stabilisation of ESIS volumes is cause for cautious optimism. The recent figures are encouraging and after taking into account any Easter effect we could be at the end of the dramatic week on week reductions, which is why we are now seeing stability and slow growth.”
“Stability and slow growth has enabled intermediaries and lenders to plan from a more solid base which in turn provides some certainty. Looking ahead there is pent up demand in the home moving sector and we’ll see indications of this being realised in the figures over the coming weeks and months”.
