International buyers continue to play an important role in the UK housing market, with a new global market analysis from Enness Global revealing that almost 203,000 properties in England and Wales are owned by overseas homeowners.
The largest numbers of foreign UK homeowners are from Hong Kong, Singapore, the USA, the UAE and China, the brokerage found.
The data, which is based on Land Registry records of homes registered with an overseas correspondence address, shows 202,568 such properties across England and Wales. Enness Global said this total has remained largely unchanged when compared to the previous year, up by just 0.02%.
London has the highest proportion of overseas homeownership, accounting for 33.9% of the total number of internationally owned homes in England and Wales.
Outside London, international ownership is concentrated in a number of key regions. The South East is home to 17.2% of internationally owned homes, while the North West ranks third with 15.9%, showing a continued appetite in regions beyond the capital.
Hong Kong owners top the league
Hong Kong buyers are the most prominent nationality, accounting for 13.8% of internationally owned homes. Singapore ranks second on 7.9%, followed by the USA at 6.8%. The UAE accounts for 5.9%, while China completes the top five at 5.8%. Malaysia, Ireland, Australia, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia make up the remainder of the top 10 nationalities.
The figures also show how international homeownership differs by nationality across the country. While Hong Kong buyers are the most numerous group in London, the North West, the West Midlands, and Yorkshire and the Humber, other areas have a different leading nationality.
Malaysia is the leading nationality in both the East Midlands and the East of England, while Irish homeowners are the most prominent overseas group in the North East. In the South East, Kuwaiti nationals account for the largest share of internationally owned homes, while the USA ranks top for both the South West and Wales.
Ownership hotspots across London
In London alone, Enness Global found 68,729 homes registered with an overseas correspondence address, with Hong Kong nationals making up the largest proportion of internationally owned homes in the capital, at 18.7% of the total.
Homeowners from Singapore ranked second at 12.9%, while Chinese buyers climbed to third place in London, accounting for 11.9% of internationally owned homes in the capital. They were followed by buyers from the USA at 5.9% and the UAE at 5.3%.
The analysis also highlights specific parts of London where overseas ownership is most concentrated. At borough level, Tower Hamlets has the largest proportion of international homeowners, with 11.8% of the London total. Westminster ranks second at 10.5%, followed by Wandsworth at 6.6%, Kensington and Chelsea at 6.3%, and Hounslow at 5.8%.
Enness Global said Hong Kong nationals are also the largest group of international homeowners for four of the five highest-ranking boroughs, with the exception of Hounslow, where Singaporeans are the leading nationality. Overall, Hong Kong nationals rank top in 21 of London’s 33 boroughs when including the City of London.
Foreign owners a key feature of market activity
Islay Robinson, CEO of Enness Global, said international buyers “continue to play an important role in the housing market”, particularly in London and the wider South East, where demand from overseas homeowners “has long been a key feature of market activity”.
Robinson added: “What’s particularly notable is how stable the overall level of international ownership has remained, with the total number of homes registered to overseas addresses changing very little over the past year. This suggests that, despite a challenging economic backdrop and ongoing political and tax uncertainty, the UK remains a desirable place to own property for many global buyers.”
She said London “remains the clear focal point”, but added the figures show overseas ownership is far from restricted to the capital. “Regional hotspots such as the South East and North West continue to attract substantial international interest, underlining the UK’s broad appeal as a long-term property destination.”
