Over the last decade, the mortgage market in Britain has been transformed by a continually increasing demand for buy-to-let mortgages. Buy-to-let mortgages are usually taken out by people who already own a UK property, but are seeking to a buy a property to rent out. The Council of Mortgage lenders estimates that in 1998 - when the term 'buy-to-let' was first coined - there were only 28,000 people with buy-to-let mortgages in the UK. Today, however, it is estimated that around 850,000 people own buy-to-let mortgages - accounting for nine per cent of all UK mortgages.

But a recent survey undertaken by the British Bankers' Association (BBA) indicates that demand for residential and buy-to-let mortgages fell in March 2007. The figures gathered by the BBA show that in March, there were a total of 75,000 buy-to-let mortgage approvals - a number that's down 12 per cent from March 2006. The weakening demand for buy-to-let mortgages has been mainly attributed to the rising interest rate, which has seen mortgage repayments increase significantly for many homeowners.

BBA's Director of Statistics, David Dooks, said of the findings: "Compared to the same time last year, the number of mortgages approved in March was lower indicating that weaker demand is starting to emerge."

Landlord Mortgages, a provider of buy-to-let mortgages, commissioned their own survey which found that, despite declining rental incomes, many landlords were optimistic about the future of the buy-to-let industry. Nine out of ten landlords surveyed said they were hoping to increase their property holdings in 2007.

Lee Grandin, Landlord Mortgages' managing director, commented: "It is great to see that many buy-to-let investors are feeling positive about the property market and are seeing 2007 as the ideal time to expand their portfolio."

Recent research conducted by consumer economic activity analysts Mintel complements the findings of Landlord Mortgages, inferring that the number of people who own a second property in Britain looks likely to double by 2010. Their survey suggests that three percent of all homeowners in the UK are thinking of purchasing a buy-to-let property within the next two years.

The wide variety of mortgages available both online and in traditional banking institutions means that both potential homeowners and prospective buy-to-let property owners have seen their financial choices expand considerably over the last few years. Many consumer comparison sites now give you the opportunity to compare UK mortgages, so you'll be able to find the best mortgage to suit your particular financial and property requirements. So whether you're looking for a buy-to-let mortgage, a first time buyers' mortgage or any other specific type of mortgage, you can be sure you'll find what you're looking for.