Four in five intermediaries say they believe their confidence in the bridging market will grow over the next 12 months, according to new data from Black & White Bridging.
One hundred intermediaries actively involved in bridging were surveyed by Black & White, with 82% agreeing that their confidence will grow over the year, and 20% strongly agreeing. While 14% were unsure, only 4% thought their confidence in the market could be declining.
The bridge lender says that while the impact of the 2024 budget and speculation surrounding the 2025 budget dampened investor confidence and led to hesitation, intermediaries are entering 2026 with new-found clarity on economic policy, fueling optimism in the market.
When asked which part of the market offered the biggest opportunities for the bridging sector over the next 12 months, 57% of respondents suggested re-signing bridging deals. Refinancing of development projects and home purchases came in joint second place with 11% of the votes each.
Re-bridging deals are seen as the biggest driver of growth in all regions except London, where results were more mixed. Residential purchases came out on top in the capital with 36% of the vote, while re-bridging received 29% and commercial property purchases 14%.
Black & White’s research also shows that sentiment has improved dramatically since 2024. Nine in ten intermediaries surveyed (90%) say their confidence in the market has increased over the past twelve months, while only one in fifty (2%) say their confidence has fallen.
However, estate agents outside the capital, operating in the North, Midlands and South of England, were more positive than those operating in London. While 95% of agents outside the capital said their confidence in the market had grown over the past year, only 64% of those operating in London said the same.
Damien Druce, Chief Operating Officer of Black & White Bridging, said: “Months of budget speculation around a townhouse tax has dampened the London market significantly compared to other parts of the UK. Wealthy people are selling and leaving the country in large numbers, leading to oversupply at the top of the London market and less demand for higher value properties.
“As a result, developers and property investors have been less willing to take risks in the capital. But investor sentiment looks set to change in 2026 as the market returns to some sort of normality after the budget carnage.”