Homemovers and second-time buyers are prioritising low loan-to-value mortgages with terms spanning five years, Moneyfactscompare.co.uk research shows.
Some 45% are looking for fixed terms of five years or more.
Searches are heavily concentrated at lower LTV tiers among existing borrowers, with more than two-thirds of remortgage borrowers looking at loans of 60% LTV or below.
Adam French, head of consumer finance at Moneyfactscompare.co.uk, said: “Many households are choosing stability over mobility.
“Slower house price growth means fewer homeowners are trading up quickly and instead are focusing on protecting affordability and insulating themselves from future economic and rate uncertainty.
“The housing ladder hasn’t stopped moving, but in an increasingly volatile – and expensive – world, it appears plenty of prospective borrowers are climbing it much more cautiously.”
High profile conflicts, the latest being the US’s attack on Iran, is serving to rock oil prices and stock markets, creating financial instability.
