The research found that nearly two-thirds (63%) of mortgage brokers expect to do more mortgage business in the second half of 2010 than the first. Only 1 in 6 (15%) were pessimistic about the prospects for later in the year.
Brokers also confirmed that the more than half of them (56%) had written more mortgage business in the first few months of 2010 than they had in 2009. Around a quarter (28%) had written less.
The poll, which was conducted amongst brokers who attended the lender’s forum event last week at the O2 in London, also found that short term (3 years or less) fixed rate mortgages were predicted to be the biggest sellers in the second half of the year by 41% with long term (5 years or more) fixed rate deals favoured by 30%. Maybe surprisingly, only a fifth (20%) of brokers thought that tracker deals would be the best sellers.
Graham Felstead, head of intermediary channel, NatWest Intermediary Solutions, said: “It was really encouraging to hear first-hand how positive intermediaries are feeling about business now and for the rest of the year. It was particularly rewarding to speak to so many mortgage advisers about the issues they are currently grappling with and to hear how through determination and creativity they had not only survived the last two years’ challenging conditions but managed to thrive despite them.
“The Forum events have proved to be a real hit with brokers with around 300 attending this latest one, providing us all with a great opportunity to work together collaboratively rather than in isolation.”
The latest NatWest Intermediary Solutions Forum featured Grenville Turner, Group CEO of Countrywide and Robert Sinclair, Director of AMI as keynote speakers. The special guest speaker was Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson.
