Mortgage intermediaries placed 96 cases per adviser in Q1, busiest first quarter since the stamp-duty rush — IMLA

IMLA's Mortgage Market Tracker shows intermediaries placed an average of 96 cases each in the year to Q1 2026, up from 89 in Q4 — the busiest start since the post-stamp-duty rush. The lift was driven by external shock, not underlying demand: the Iran conflict pushed swap rates higher in March, pulling remortgage and purchase business forward. For buyers and sellers, it means Q1 was front-loaded; the rest of 2026 may look quieter even if the underlying market is unchanged.