Nearly 203,000 UK homes are owned by overseas buyers — and London accounts for more than a third of them (Photo: Shutterstock)
Nearly 203,000 homes across England and Wales are owned by overseas homeowners, with London accounting for more than a third of the total, according to the latest market analysis by Enness Global.
Based on UK Land Registry data tracking properties registered with an overseas correspondence address, the research shows that 202,568 homes in England and Wales are owned by buyers living abroad.
Photo: Enness Global
The figure edged up only slightly by 0.02% from 2024 to 2025, pointing to a stable level of international ownership despite ongoing economic, political and tax uncertainties.
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London continues to dominate international homeownership, accounting for 33.9% of all foreign-owned homes in England and Wales. In absolute terms, 68,729 London homes are registered to overseas addresses.
In England, the South East region ranks second with 17.2% of internationally owned homes, followed by the North West at 15.9%, underscoring that overseas demand extends well beyond prime central London.
By nationality, Hong Kong buyers are the largest group of international homeowners across England and Wales, accounting for 13.8% of all overseas-owned homes. Singaporean buyers rank second at 7.9%, followed by those from the US (6.8%), the UAE (5.9%) and China (5.8%). Malaysia, Ireland, Australia, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia round out the top 10 ranking.
Hong Kong nationals also lead international ownership across several regions, including London, the North West, the West Midlands, and Yorkshire and the Humber. Malaysian buyers are the most prominent in the East Midlands and East of England, Irish buyers in the North East, and US nationals in both the South West and Wales. Kuwaiti buyers top the list in the South East.
Photo: Enness Global
Within London specifically, Hong Kong nationals account for the largest share of overseas-owned homes at 18.7%, with Singaporean buyers again ranking second at 12.9%. Chinese buyers were at third place (11.9%), ahead of buyers from US (5.9%) and UAE (5.3%). Italy replaces Kuwait within London’s top 10 overseas buyer nationalities while the rest of the list mirrors the national picture.
Photo: Enness Global
At the borough level, Tower Hamlets has the highest percentage of overseas homeowners, accounting for 11.8% of London’s internationally owned homes. This is followed by Westminster (10.5%), Wandsworth (6.6%), Kensington and Chelsea (6.3%), and Hounslow (5.8%).
Hong Kong buyers are the most prominent overseas homeowners in four of the top five boroughs, with the exception of Hounslow, where Singaporean nationals account for the largest share. Overall, Hong Kong nationals lead international ownership in 21 of London’s 33 boroughs.
Islay Robinson, CEO of Enness Global, states in a press release that the stability in overseas ownership reflects the UK’s enduring appeal as a property market.
“International buyers continue to play an important role in the housing market, particularly across London and the wider South East where demand from overseas homeowners has long been a key feature of market activity,” Robinson says.
“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,” he adds. “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.”
Robinson notes that while London remains the primary magnet for international buyers, regional hotspots such as the South East and North West continue to attract substantial overseas interest, reinforcing the UK’s appeal as a long-term property destination.
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