It is now 'easier for landlords to access finance'
Buy-to-let in London and elsewhere could be a more attractive investment thanks to the greater availability of finance.
According to David Whittaker, managing director at Mortgages for Business, there has been a recent expansion in the number of mortgage options open to landlords.
"It is easier for landlords to access finance - there are more lenders," he commented.
"Our figures show that in the last quarter we have gone from 22 lenders with 400 products to 23 lenders with just over 500. The new player added in the quarter was Accord and, once they get themselves settled and adjusted, will be regarded as a significant player."
However, many would-be investors are currently split over whether or not it is currently a good time to expand property portfolios, said Mr Whittaker.
"There is choice out there, but the question is whether landlords will engage in the current market and move forward. The answer is that you have a mixed approach," he explained.
"You have some that are positive and are moving forward and you have some that are holding back to see what happens in the world at large."
Decisions on investment could largely depend on the economic situation of the region of the country, said the expert.
Investment property London, for example, could prove more popular as the city is currently more affluent than other regions.
"If you are a landlord in the north-west at the moment where 38 per cent of the population work for the government - and the government is going to be downsizing the state - then you would probably be pretty cautious about adding to your property stock," commented Mr Whittaker.
It comes after Paragon Mortgages announced that intermediaries recorded an average 3.1 per cent increase in buy-to-let mortgage business during the third quarter of the year.
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