Over three quarters of the participants in the survey said they were more confident than at the same time last year.
Some 65% of DAs said they experienced an increase in buy-to-let enquiries over the last three months in comparison with 35% who stated they had not.
In another section of the TMA Distribution Indicator when posed the question ‘with the average age of home ownership rising, do you think potential buyers are turning to the rental market through choice rather than necessity?’ 62% stated they didn’t think that this was the case. And 38% of respondents said they thought more people were making this as a lifestyle choice rather than because of obvious funding and affordability issues.
Commenting, Phil Whitehouse, head of TMA, said: “The buy-to-let arena certainly seems to be gaining in momentum with a greater number of products coming onto the market and criteria loosening slightly. This has given rise to a much more upbeat outlook towards this important sector which is reflected in these findings. However, there are issues holding the buy-to-let market back with funding restrictions still apparent and arrears levels that could be better. So in terms of recovery it remains prudent for the sector to walk before it can run.
“But back on a positive note, demand shows no sign of diminishing and some of the larger name lenders are continuing to raise their activity levels within the intermediary market which can only be a good thing. It will be interesting to revisit these results later in the year to see if this positivity has increased but in the meantime I expect to see this sector continuing to build on the sound if not spectacular foundations that are being laid.”
