The lender said this is more proof that professional property investors and landlords remain extremely active within the increasingly flat residential property market.
Buy-to-let was the single biggest driver of the figures, said the lender, With property prices under continued pressure and many prospective homeowners unable or unwilling to purchase property.
Mark Posniak, marketing & operations director, Dragonfly Property Finance, said: “It’s been well documented that buy-to-let is booming and these numbers drive home how big the sector has become. It’s not something limited to London, either. The AIPs are coming from all areas of the country and are on loans of all sizes. Both amateur and professional investors see a major opportunity in the market at present and they are becoming even more active as the market falls. Their view is that the owner-occupier market could be flat for years to come.”
