The UK property market is experiencing demand from a much wider range of international investors than is commonly assumed, RAW Capital Partners has stated.

The specialist lender’s latest survey of 300 UK mortgage brokers found that 35% frequently work with non-UK resident clients, while 48% do so occasionally.

Meanwhile, just 5% said they have never worked with international clients.

RAW revealed that 60% of brokers have noticed an increase in demand from overseas in the past five years, with 63% expecting demand to increase or remain stable in the five years to come.

When asked to select the regions where their clients have come from, the most common were Europe and the Middle East and UAE, with 30% of brokers stating they had found mortgages for clients from this region over the past five years.

This was followed by North America (25%), while 23% have had clients from Far East Asia.

Meanwhile, RAW stated that there was still "significant demand" coming from other regions, with 24% of brokers saying they have had clients from Central America and the Caribbean since 2020, while 16% said the same about Africa.

Chief executive officer at RAW Capital Partners, Tim Parkes, said: "When we think of international investors purchasing UK properties, we often assume the buyers are based in places like the UAE, Hong Kong or the US. However, our research indicates that international demand for UK property investments is actually really diverse.

"The problem is that investors coming from places like Africa or even Eastern Europe are poorly served by the mortgage and specialist finance markets, with many lenders choosing to focus primarily on high-net-worth investors from the traditionally dominant markets. This overlooks the fact that there are emerging middle classes in these regions, and these affluent investors are often drawn to the stability and historical strength of UK property as an asset they want in their portfolios.

"For the market to keep pace with the changing nature of the global investment landscape, brokers and lenders must collaborate to broaden their offerings and develop financial products that accommodate a wider range of borrowers. In doing so, they can expand accessibility to not only benefit investors but also drive more meaningful growth in the UK property market in the months and years ahead."

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