"And, over half think that business will get better over the next three months plus a further 40% expect to maintain business at current levels. The pessimists have sunk to their lowest ever level - just 6% anticipate worse business over the next quarter. Might those predictions of green shoots now be coming true? It seems that house price falls have slowed, as have falls in mortgage approvals and more and more evidence suggests that the housing market is over the worst. Our advisers certainly seem to think so.
"Remortgage activity is predicted to be steady, with a quarter of advisers saying that this will make up around 20% to 40% of their business. More advisers are predicting higher levels of house purchase business than at any time over the past 18 months. For instance, 18% of advisers, almost one in five, say that 60% to 80% of their mortgage business will be house purchase mortgages.
"Protection is forecast to do well. Over half of advisers think that business will get better over the next three months and a further 41% expect to maintain business at current levels. Protection is proving to be a key revenue generator for mortgage advisers and we are helping our network advisers target the rental market, which we believe has huge potential for advising on life insurance, critical illness cover and income protection benefit."
