Refurbishments, houses of multiple occupation (HMOs) and Multi-Unit Freehold Blocks (MUFBs) have been the most popular types of specialist property investment in the last three months, according to Castle Trust Bank.

Broker research carried out by the lender as part of its ongoing Pulse surveys, found that refurbishment was the number one specialist property investment, with nearly 40% of brokers saying it was the top choice for their clients.

Following closely behind were investments in (HMOs) and s (MUFBs). Despite the high profile of holiday lets, this was the least popular type of specialist property investment over the last quarter according to brokers.

Castle Trust commercial director Anna Lewis comments: “Landlords are increasingly looking at ways they can increase their returns and property refurbishment is the most common way they choose to do this”.

She adds: “When it comes to choice of lender, speed and certainty are at the forefront for brokers, with rate having less prominence. This perhaps reflects the recent environment of uncertainty and frequent rate rises, where speed of decision has often made a significant impact on the rate a client has been able to achieve.

“However, in a competitive market, speed and certainty have always been crucial in bridging, enabling investors to respond quickly to market opportunities and build their portfolios.”