Number of international buyers of UK property reaches record low
A mix of economic uncertainty and tax changes are stemming the flow of overseas house hunters, according to Hamptons estate agents.
The proportion of international applicants looking to buy a home in the UK has fallen to its lowest level on record, according to new data from Hamptons. Internationally registered buyers now make up just 1% of the total, down from a peak of 3% in 2009. In Prime Central London, that figure is now 2.9%, down from a peak of 7.9% in 2009.
Hamptons says that the decline in demand is ‘predominantly driven by fewer Europeans relocating to Great Britain’, with Europeans making up 43% of international house hunters in Q1 2025. North Americans and buyers from the Middle East are slowly picking up the slack, but not quite quick enough to stop the overall slide.
Proportion of all international applicants in Great Britain
So what is spooking foreign buyers? According to Hamptons, it’s more a question of what isn’t. ‘Political events worldwide continue to influence demand for UK property from international buyers,’ says Aneisha Beveridge, head of research at Hamptons. ‘But more recently, it's tax changes that have stemmed the flow of overseas house hunters. Stamp duty increases, particularly for those purchasing second homes, combined with Brexit and amendments to the tax treatment of non-doms, have added to costs and reduced the lure of property in the UK.’
'The case for buying a home, particularly in Prime Central London, has become increasingly tenuous for some international buyers'
London continues to remain the focus for overseas house hunters, with more than half of applicants looking to purchase in the capital in the first quarter of 2025. However, those chasing more affordable homes are heading north, it seems, with 10% of applicants looking at the north east, north west and Yorkshire, which is up from 5% a decade ago. 75% of these potential purchasers are looking for a permanent home, per Hamptons. Liverpool is the most popular city, attracting 49% of applicants looking to buy in the north of England.
‘The case for buying a home, particularly in Prime Central London, has become increasingly tenuous for some international buyers,’ Aneisha continues. ‘For those immigrating for an undetermined period, the cost of buying property and the prospect of little or no capital growth, as seen over the last decade in PCL, have led many to opt for renting instead.’
‘That said, access to all the amenities and culture that London offers, combined with the country's robust legal system, continues to attract money from overseas from those looking to buy’.
