Property finance specialist MSP Capital says it has made its strongest ever start to a year, with more than £122 million of enquiries currently being converted into completed loans.
The Poole-based lender, now in its 45th year of trading, said demand from housing developers and other borrowers has risen sharply since the start of 2026, reflecting a noticeable improvement in market confidence.
Adam Tovey (pictured), commercial director at MSP Capital, says: “That’s more than we’ve ever experienced at this point in the year before. Such heightened activity signals a clear shift in market sentiment.
“Developers and investors are increasingly confident that conditions are stabilising, and that now may be the right time to move forward with their plans, either by coming to us direct or through a broker.
“Factors driving our record start to a new year are the downward trajectory on base rates, the release of pent-up demand among prospective buyers and greater confidence around property as an investment overall.”
MSP Capital said the majority of January enquiries have come from new clients, many of whom are looking to benefit from recent rate reductions across its bridging and development finance products.
Those reductions followed the completion of a £350 million funding facility agreed last year with investment partners J.P. Morgan and Pollen Street Capital, designed to give the lender greater flexibility in pricing and product delivery.
Combined with MSP Capital’s existing retained funding lines with Pollen Street Capital and Shawbrook Bank, the new facility has increased total funding capacity to £485 million.
The lender said the structure of the agreement also allows for the potential provision of additional funding from J.P. Morgan in the future, supporting its longer-term ambition to grow its loan book to £750 million by 2030.
Tovey adds: “It’s all about delivering the safe, robust financial strategies that help make development projects a reality on the ground. We have an experienced, expanding team ready to meet the demand for both development and bridging finance.
“Their expertise is coupled with a robust infrastructure able to process high levels of volume in the market. We are known for our speed of decision-making and delivery of funds.
“Our autonomy as a principal lender means we can lend on the basis of sound underwriting logic but always with an entrepreneurial, solutions-driven approach that makes transactions more efficient and easier for the client.”
