Specialist lending becomes key tool for mortgage brokers

Mortgage brokers are increasingly incorporating specialist lending into their initial client consultations rather than treating it as a last resort. This shift is driven by more complex borrower circumstances, such as non-standard income, self-employment, and requirements for mixed-use or refurbishment properties that often fall outside mainstream lending criteria.

Precise has launched a new resource, ‘Bridge it. Everything you need to know about bridging finance’, to assist intermediaries in identifying suitable bridging scenarios. These include auction purchases, developer exits, and bridging gaps between property transactions. The initiative comes as the market enters a more measured phase; data from the Bridging & Development Lenders Association (BDLA) shows applications decreased from £11.7bn in Q4 2025 to £9.9bn in Q1 2026.