Overseas investment in UK residential property: from the Channel Islands to the Caymans

Solomon Investment Partners have produced a new study which has found that the same three countries make up two thirds of overseas UK residential property investments.

Key points from study:
  • More investment into UK residential property from the Channel Islands than anywhere else
  • Hong Kong and Singapore residents made most UK residential property purchases from Asia-Pacific region
  • British Virgin Islands and Isle of Man join Channel Islands as top three countries investing in UK residential property
  • London, the South-East and North-West the most popular UK investment areas from overseas

Channel Islands residents are the most active overseas investors in UK residential property, according to a new study from Solomon Investment Partners. In July 2022, Land Registry data showed a total of 93,754 UK property purchases by overseas investors, which included a mixture of private individuals and corporations. Analysis of the data found that those based in the Channel Islands purchased 33,788 UK properties, over 10,000 more than other nations, and more than a third of all UK residential property purchases from overseas.

The list of top 10 nations whose residents invested in UK residential property was dominated by British Overseas Territories, English-speaking nations, and nations with large expat communities. Investors from the British Virgin Islands carried out the second largest number of purchases (21,177), more than twice the number from the Isle of Man (10,268), which was third on the list. 

The top three nations made up around two thirds of all UK residential property bought from overseas during July 2022, a combined 65,233 in total. There were 14 nations on the list where UK property purchases had exceeded 1,000. 

Top 10 nations whose residents invested in UK residential property in July 2022:
  1. Channel Islands 33,788
  2. British Virgin Islands 21,177
  3. Isle of Man 10,268
  4. Luxembourg 2,734
  5. Gibraltar 2,260
  6. Singapore 2,041
  7. Hong Kong 1,616
  8. Ireland 1,516
  9. South Africa 1,428
  10. Cayman Islands 1,369

When it comes to UK investment locations, it’s no surprise that London received the highest level of investment. People from the British Virgin Islands invested most heavily in the city, with a total of 13,810 purchases, over half of all investments coming out of the region. 

Investment in London made up around 45% of all overseas investment in UK residential property at 41,546 purchases. The surrounding areas of the city and South-East region as a whole was second on the list, with 14,885 purchases from overseas. The North-West region welcomed 10,961 investments from overseas, just under half of those coming from the Channel Islands at 4,992.

Overseas investment in UK residential property broken down by region:
  1. Greater London 41,546
  2. South-East 14,885
  3. North-West 10,961
  4. Yorkshire and Humber 5,718
  5. South-West 5,159
  6. West Midlands 4,401
  7. East Midlands 3,921
  8. Northern England 2,499
  9. East Anglia 2,408
  10. Wales 2,256

Note: The Land Registry data did not include Scotland or Northern Ireland.

 

You can view the full study here. 

 

For the full data breakdown of overseas investment UK residential property please email: [email protected]

 

Kindly shared by Solomon Investment Partners

Main article photo courtesy of Pixabay