A third of landlords (34%) plan to expand their portfolios in the next 12 months, according to Shawbrook Bank.

Of those that plan to buy in the next year, 14% said they aim to buy more properties than they had initially planned.

The specialist lender’s Changing Face of Buy-to-Let report found that 13% of landlords plan to buy properties in a new location and 12% are looking to buy a different type of property.

Market confidence

There is confidence among landlords that property price growth will continue over the next year, with over two-thirds (67%) saying that they have confidence in the market over the next 12 months.

Emma Cox, sales director at Shawbrook Bank, said: “Despite the hurdles caused by the pandemic, the property market has stood firm and house prices have continued to soar in price.

“This has created attractive opportunities for investors and property developers, whose confidence in the market has grown over the last 12 months. Their buying activity and trends show that the market is likely to remain strong over the short term.

“Indeed, with 2021 announced as the “busiest year” for the housing market according to Zoopla, despite recent falls in transactions, it’s clear that the market has fully rebounded from the lows of the pandemic. As supply continues to be low, it’s unlikely that we’ll see house price growth slow significantly and as we move into January next year following the seasonal slowdown over Christmas, property investors will be seeking further opportunities to expand their portfolios.”