More than a quarter of brokers are interested in getting into expat mortgages, according to research from Suffolk Building Society.

The lender found that 26% of mortgage intermediaries who do not currently work with expat clients said they would like to get into this area of business.

The survey found that 39% of these brokers plan to do so within the next 12 months.

Suffolk Building Society head of intermediaries Charlotte Grimshaw said: “It’s great to see more brokers keen to work with expat clients. These borrowers represent an attractive opportunity for brokers to grow their business and build long-term client relationships.

“Whilst it’s a more complex area of the market, embracing this can help intermediaries access a wider pool of potential borrowers and establish valuable referral opportunities within international communities.”

The research found that, for 64% of brokers, helping borrowers who may find it difficult to get a mortgage otherwise is one of the most rewarding aspects of expat businesses.

Forty-four per cent of respondents said working with clients around the world makes for interesting work, while 40% claimed they enjoy the challenges that come with complex expat cases.

Other reasons brokers found their expat work rewarding included being likely to get referral business from tight-knit expat communities (22%) and enjoying working and building relationships with a smaller group of lenders (20%).