More than two in five UK property investors say they rely on the property and finance trade press to inform their investment decisions, Market Financial Solutions (MFS) research reveals.

The specialist lender, which commissioned an independent survey of 2,000 UK adults, found that 16% hold property investments, ranging from buy-to-let (BTL) and second homes to holiday homes and commercial units.

Among those with property investments, 55% of respondents said that they have become more diligent in assessing risk before making investment decisions in the past two years.

More than half (57%) say that macroeconomic factors have significantly influenced their property investment decisions at present.

Meanwhile, 55% place a high importance on house and rental price forecasts when considering changes to their portfolios.

Almost half (46%) revealed that they seek out news, analysis and opinion on specialist property and finance websites.

Over a third (35%) rely on an intermediary to inform their strategies.

Despite this, two fifths (43%) of property investors said they find it challenging to remain up to date on property market news and trends.

MFS chief executive Paresh Raja comments: “More investors look to news and analysis in specialist property and finance publications to inform their decisions than rely on advisors or brokers.”

“Undoubtedly, it’s more important than ever that lenders and brokers double down on their commitment to providing insightful and engaging content – on their own platforms and in the trade press – to help investors navigate the various challenges they face..”

“With the economic climate still testing, and a general election approaching, this will certainly prove highly valuable in the next 12 months.”