A quarter of those interviewed are more positive about the market compared with six months ago. Those that are less positive about the market have dropped from 36% in Q1 to 26% in Q2. The increase in confidence is backed by the fact that just under three quarters of those interviewed believe that demand for rented property is staying the same or increasing. In addition, just under a third expect demand to increase over the next six months.
A record number of investors are planning to build their portfolios, according to the survey. 42% are considering buying more properties. Of those that want to buy more properties, most are looking at the North West and buying abroad. The next two most popular regions are the North East and the South East. Void periods are decreasing. Just under half of those interviewed said that they had no void periods at all. Of those that do have void periods, the majority only experienced voids of one to two weeks.
Roger Hillier, product development manager, said: “Overall, the survey gives us a snapshot of a reliable market that continues to provide investors with a viable alternative to traditional stocks and shares. Rental incomes are steady, void periods are few, and we expect to see buy-to-let portfolios growing over the next survey period.”
