High-net-worth borrowers are increasingly using debt as a strategic tool for managing wealth rather than simply as a way to finance property purchases, according to Enness Global’s latest Private Client Finance Report.
The report highlights a growing focus on preserving liquidity, securing certainty of execution and structuring finance around wider investment portfolios. Specialist lending solutions, including securities-backed finance, bridging loans and cross-border facilities, are consequently gaining traction among affluent borrowers.
The shift comes despite a more selective UK lending environment. Mortgage product availability reached its highest level since 2007, although more than 530 fixed-rate products were withdrawn during March as lenders repriced their ranges.
Enness expects around 1.8 million fixed-rate mortgages to expire during 2026, supporting continued refinancing activity and demand for specialist mortgage advice as borrowers reassess their existing financing arrangements.
London’s prime property market is also providing international buyers with greater choice and negotiating power. Prime London housing supply increased by 13.8% year-on-year, while average discounts to asking prices widened to 10.5%. Prime Central London prices remain around 7% below their level a year earlier.
These conditions have created greater opportunities for buyers with the financial capacity to move quickly, particularly international purchasers seeking prime and super-prime property. US buyers remain among the most active overseas purchasers, with technology, artificial intelligence and private equity professionals particularly prominent.
At the upper end of the market, transactions above £5 million remain comfortably above pre-pandemic averages despite a year-on-year decline, highlighting continued resilience across the super-prime segment.
Islay Robinson, CEO of Enness Global, highlights the increasingly strategic role of borrowing for wealthy clients, with sophisticated borrowers placing greater emphasis on preserving liquidity and structuring finance around their wider wealth position rather than simply pursuing the lowest available rate.
For internationally mobile clients, bespoke financing can allow capital to remain available for investments and other opportunities rather than being tied up entirely within a property purchase. This can be particularly relevant where wealth is spread across property, businesses, investment portfolios and assets held in multiple jurisdictions.
Enness expects demand for bespoke lending solutions to continue strengthening through the second half of 2026 as private-client wealth structures become increasingly international and complex.
The trend reflects a broader change in the private-client mortgage market, with affluent borrowers increasingly considering how debt can be incorporated into their wider balance sheet and long-term wealth strategy.
Read the full article in London Loves Property.
