Mortgage search activity rose sharply in March as borrowers moved to secure deals amid continued uncertainty over rates and the wider economy, according to Twenty7tec.

Data from the firm’s INSIGHT Pro platform showed total searches reached 2,150,593 in March, up 19% on February and 17% higher than a year earlier. It was the highest monthly total recorded so far in 2026.

The rise came during a period of continued volatility in mortgage pricing, with borrowers and advisers responding to changing inflation expectations, movement in swap rates and wider economic uncertainty. Twenty7tec said this had encouraged more decisive action, particularly among those nearing the end of existing fixed-rate deals.

Remortgaging was the main driver of activity. Residential remortgage searches climbed to 907,610 in March, up 32% month on month and 37% year on year.

That suggests a large number of households were moving quickly to review their options as they approached product maturity, particularly after recent repricing across the market.

Purchase searches also increased, despite affordability pressures continuing to weigh on borrowers. Residential purchase searches reached 725,485 in March, up 8% from February and 5% higher than in the same month last year.

The figures point to underlying demand in the purchase market holding up, even as buyers continue to contend with higher borrowing costs and stretched affordability.

First-time buyer activity also edged higher on a monthly basis. Searches in that segment rose 5% to 173,752, although totals remained slightly below the level seen a year earlier.

In the buy-to-let market, searches reached 343,746 in March. That was up 18% on February and 12% year on year, suggesting landlords were also revisiting borrowing plans as market conditions shifted.

Nathan Reilly (pictured), chief customer officer at Twenty7tec, said: “The data highlights how closely borrower behaviour is linked to wider economic signals.

“The increase in search volumes reflects a market reacting to a mix of improving momentum and ongoing uncertainty. On the global side, volatility in energy markets and wider geopolitical tensions have continued to influence inflation expectations and mortgage pricing, while here in the UK borrowers are still navigating affordability pressures.”

Twenty7tec said the latest snapshot also pointed to a change in the type of cases advisers are dealing with. Searches linked to applicants on visas were the most common criteria queries in March, indicating a rise in more complex borrower scenarios and a broader spread of client profiles coming into the market.

That may be significant for lenders and advisers alike, as firms continue to compete for business while also adapting criteria and underwriting approaches to serve a wider range of customers.

Although some recent global pressures have started to ease, Twenty7tec said uncertainty remained an important factor in borrower decision-making through March. The figures suggest advisers were dealing with a market in which demand remained present across both purchase and remortgage business, even as affordability and pricing pressures continued to shape behaviour.