IFA''s still backing property - commercial mortgages

06 March 2008

Many independent financial advisors (IFAs) would still back commercial property investment in the UK, a new survey has shown.

The research, which may interest those seeking commercial mortgages, showed that 32 per cent of IFAs would back investments in UK commercial property in the next 12 months, Easier has announced.

Such a finding may suggest that many IFAs are satisfied that the long-term prospects for the industry outweigh any short-term issues of value.

The poll of 904 IFAs was carried out by Gartmore, M& G, Newton and Schroders at the Joint Investment Forum.

Many recent investments have focused on either buying property when values are lower in the anticipation of them rising in value in the months to come, or seeking out those areas that are bucking the trend.

Colin Sinclair, chief executive of the Manchester Investment and Development Agency Service, said this week that the city was one such case, commenting: "Manchester''s markets have been performing well recently, despite the national downturn."