Falling prices and a more relaxed buy to let lending market will allow landlords to add properties to their portfolios.

According to a recent poll by Paragon Mortgages, the average professional property business portfolio increased to 14.1 in the last three months.

The rate of landlords buying new homes to rent has also increased, with the average collection of properties taking just nine months to move from 12.5 at the end of the second quarter in 2011 to 12.9 by the end of March 2012.

It took just a further three months for the average portfolio size to increase to 14.1 homes.

Property investors are also optimistic about the rental market, with more than a fifth (21 per cent) of landlords revealing they expect to add more property by the end of September.

Paragon Mortgages managing director John Heron said that the desire to invest in more properties shows landlords’ appetite to grow their business.

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