Market confidence among mortgage intermediaries has "increased significantly", according to new research from NatWest Intermediary Solutions.
Its Mortgage Intermediary Market Confidence Barometer measured confidence across six markets and found it had risen by 3.9 points from 62.2 in July 2014 to 66.1 in March 2015, a rise of more than 6%.
Current sentiment is now only marginally below the level achieved in December 2013.
The survey, conducted in March 2015 amongst 536 intermediaries, showed optimism rising across the board.
Confidence that there was sufficient funding from lenders across all LTVs hit a record high at 72.4 in March, up from just 56.5 in July.
This reflects the abundance of mortgage deals currently on the market from lenders.
First-time buyer affordability has risen by 5.8 points since last July to 57.9, despite widespread concerns about the problems young buyers face getting on the property ladder.
Brokers confidence in demand for remortgaging jumped by 4.7 points to 72.3, the highest score achieved so far in the index.
The prospects were also encouraging for those looking to move and purchase a new property.
For adequate supply of properties, adviser confidence rose 3.2 points to 58.7.
However, as house prices slow, potential for further growth rose just 0.4 points to 66.1.
Graham Felstead, head of NatWest Intermediary Solutions said the feelgood factor is back in the market.
"The last 12 months have continued to remain buoyant despite the introduction of the MMR requirements and this is reflected by the fact that confidence in all the market components that we measure in this index have seen an increase.
"It is particularly interesting to see the marked improvement in the optimism for first-time buyer affordability and the demand for remortgaging.
"The improvement in perceptions about first-time buyer affordability shows that brokers and their customers have acclimatised to the post-MMR environment and that the continuation of Government schemes and lenders support at the higher LTV end of the market has restored confidence.
"From our own experience, 2015 has so far carried on where 2014 left off with very high levels of intermediary mortgages being written."
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