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9 Best UK Property Investment Opportunities and Buy-to-Let Locations for 2026
Investing as a landlord in the UK property market remains a worthwhile opportunity, especially if you base your decisions on statistics rather than anecdotes and personal experience.
At Clifton Private Finance, we’ve compiled official House Price Index (HPI) data, evaluating the cities that have below-average market price and strong growth figures to determine some of the best locations to purchase buy-to-let property in the UK for 2026.
With the right finance and support, 2026 offers a bright outlook for well-prepared investors.
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Table of Contents
1. Derry (Londonderry)
With some of the strongest growth figures throughout 2025, Northern Ireland is a prime property market for investors. Alongside Belfast, Derry provides a worthwhile location for landlords looking to expand their portfolios.
The rental market in Derry is strengthened by the significant student population, with Magee College, the Derry campus of Ulster University, housing more than 5,000 of Ulster’s ≈32,000 students.
This is further bolstered by the cross-border dynamics created through proximity to the Republic of Ireland, where employment opportunities and graduate demand provide influences that are not typically revealed in pure UK-centric statistics.
Rental yields are both stable and profitable, with consistent demand helping eliminate extended void periods.
Derry is a city going through a prosperous regeneration phase. The North West Regeneration Fund and Derry and Strabane City Deal are working to revitalise the city and expand the university. Investors during these early stages are likely to see valuable long-term returns.
Derry: Property Stats
- Average Property Price (end 2025): £182,910
- Property Price Growth (Oct ’24 to Oct ’25): +13%
- Average Gross Rental Yield (2025): 6.6%
2. Burnley
With a growing reputation for being one of the cheapest areas of the UK to buy a house, Burnley is becoming noticed by investors for the opportunities it presents.
Burnley is placed at an intersection between several major northern cities, approximately an hour from Manchester, Leeds, and Lancaster. It’s a suitable location for professionals and families due to its access to a wide range of employment roles without needing to absorb the higher costs of living in a larger metropolis like London.
Rental yields are impressively high in Burnley, with most well-managed properties above 5.5% (and reported as high as 8% in some cases), making it an extremely attractive town to consider for landlords.
The rental base is diverse, with the area growing in appeal for renters of all demographics. Ongoing regeneration and an expanding job market lead to a stable rental market that can be relied upon for investors focused more on cash flow and income than long-term returns.
Its low point of entry for property purchase makes Burnley an excellent location to consider for first-time landlords.
Burnley: Property Stats
- Average Property Price (end 2025): £130,826
- Property Price Growth (Oct ’24 to Oct ’25): +7.6%
- Average Gross Rental Yield (2025): 8.2%
3. Liverpool
Liverpool is one of the North of England’s larger cities, offering a depth to the rental market that smaller towns and cities simply cannot provide. Here, the market exists for students due to its proximity to multiple high-profile universities.
Professionals at all stages of their careers, families, and short-term contractors also benefit from the amenities that Liverpool offers. This ensures consistent demand and reduced risk of long void periods.
The focus of regeneration some years ago, Liverpool is no longer a city seeking renewal, but one capitalising on more than a decade of sustained capital investment. The infrastructural and economic benefits are already in place and are now drawing new waves of interest.
While property prices currently retain their affordability, growth is constant - Liverpool is a solid investment for landlords interested in a well-understood market that maintains demand.
Rental yields are strong, ROI is stable, and the city itself is vibrant and large enough to meet economic changes with confidence.
Liverpool: Property Stats
- Average Property Price (end 2025): £181,430
- Property Price Growth (Oct ’24 to Oct ’25): +7%
- Average Gross Rental Yield (2025): 7.7%
4. Glasgow
The old image of Glasgow as a low entry point to property investment may not hold in current times, but it still remains a valuable opportunity for tactful investors. A well-established and historic Scottish stronghold, Glasgow presents stability and affordability at scale, with a wide range of property types suitable for both individual and portfolio landlords.
Glasgow has a cultural advantage over smaller towns and cities, with renters likely to remain within the city, upgrading their living experience as they move from student to professional to family. This stable renter progression maintains the market, offering investors the security of longer-term tenants and portfolio holders a potential pipeline for rental upgrades.
While Glasgow has been experiencing growth for some years, the ceiling for market value is still considered distant, giving current investors the headroom they need to see valuable ROI before price increases slow.
Glasgow: Property Stats
- Average Property Price (end 2025): £191,051
- Property Price Growth (Oct ’24 to Oct ’25): +5.2%
- Average Gross Rental Yield (2025): 7.8%
5. South Lanarkshire
Bordering the City of Glasgow to the south, the South Lanarkshire property market is growing at a slightly faster rate than more urban areas. A strong commuter region, South Lanarkshire represents a lower price point for new professionals and families, allowing a reasonable and realistic trade-off between inner-city convenience and suburban and rural space.
Here, the road and rail links provide the infrastructure needed to support a healthy property landscape, with towns such as East Kilbride and Hamilton within half an hour’s drive or train journey to Glasgow centre.
For investors interested in the area, South Lanarkshire offers a different profile to Glasgow, with a more affordable point of entry and potentially greater return, though these advantages are balanced by a slightly less-secure rental market and chance of vacant periods.
The region is particularly favourable for landlords looking to deliver well-maintained affordable rental homes, with a council-led push to tackle housing problems in the area - demand is strong, and yields are competitive.
South Lanarkshire: Property Stats
- Average Property Price (end 2025): £179,688
- Property Price Growth (Oct ’24 to Oct ’25): +7.2%
- Average Gross Rental Yield (2025): 6.6%
6. Belfast
The capital city of Northern Ireland has an unusual relationship between its property market and its socioeconomic position. Belfast has a similar level of public sector employment security as other similar locations, such as Edinburgh or Cardiff, but it has held on to lower market pricing that makes it feel (for investors) more similar to a mid-range UK city.
This makes it an excellent choice for property investment, with strong rental market stability coupled with lower-priced housing options.
Belfast has also enjoyed significant population growth in recent years, with more people growing up and remaining in the city rather than seeking opportunities elsewhere. The ongoing difficulty for first-time buyers to raise the funds required to get onto the property ladder means there’s now a greater swell of renters, out of proportion to the supply.
For landlords, this means tenants keen to remain in situ, and fewer voids as competition for good homes is high.
The market is also liquid, with plenty of other investors willing to acquire well-positioned properties. Those who choose to invest in Belfast, even for a short time, will find the exit easier than in many other towns and cities in the country. Stable public sector employment, a thriving student population, and the cultural gravity that comes from being a capital city combine to make Belfast a premium consideration for property investors.
Belfast: Property Stats
- Average Property Price (end 2025): £177,609
- Property Price Growth (Oct ’24 to Oct ’25): +6.2%
- Average Gross Rental Yield (2025): 6.1%
7. Neath Port Talbot
Wales has long been seen as a home for cheaper property purchases, and while it remains below the UK average in many areas, few can provide the growth statistics and investment opportunities tied to Neath Port Talbot.
Situated on the M4 corridor that links Swansea in the west to Cardiff in the east, the two towns of Neath and Port Talbot offer a range of property types for property investors looking for a lower priced entry point and solid growth.
Port Talbot has found national news coverage throughout 2024 thanks to the closure of its steelworks, which seriously impacted employment in the area. Rather than leaving the community struggling, however, this event has led to over £20m in investment and more to come. A political focal point, Neath Port Talbot is enjoying a strong government-led regeneration programme that actively encourages investment.
Property developers and investors in Neath Port Talbot benefit from tenant stability, with the majority of properties rented by families and professionals who enjoy the location’s road and rail access to two of Wales’ largest cities - a situation that’s primed to improve as more projects are completed.
Neath Port Talbot: Property Stats
- Average Property Price (end 2025): £158,771
- Property Price Growth (Oct ’24 to Oct ’25): +5.4%
- Average Gross Rental Yield (2025): 7.5%
8. Sunderland
Sunderland represents itself well in the key areas for those looking to add to their property portfolios: the price of entry is low (average below £150k), the rental yield is strong (consistently above 6% with some headline figures reported as high as 10%), and the growth rate is solid at 7%.
It’s an area with bases for some major employers, including Nissan, Barclays, and Rolls-Royce, as well as a well-performing university. It is also going through a period of significant regeneration, with multiple projects moving forward in 2026 and beyond.
Sunderland represents a North of England location that cleanly ticks every box. It’s a lively and affordable coastal city well worth the consideration of property investors.
Sunderland: Property Stats
- Average Property Price (end 2025): £143,189
- Property Price Growth (Oct ’24 to Oct ’25): +7%
- Average Gross Rental Yield (2025): 9.2%
9. Wolverhampton
Property investment in England tends to lean towards cities in the north as being the most viable. Wolverhampton, however, offers an unusual, more-southern option for property investors ready to move sooner rather than later. Enjoying a slight lag while property prices catch up with the surrounding area, Wolverhampton offers much of the appeal of Birmingham without suffering the much larger city’s more significant housing costs.
Wolverhampton’s under-the-radar positioning is an advantage to timely investors. There is little doubt that over the coming years, the market will match its neighbours, especially as the city is midway through a city centre regeneration. Structural investment has been seen in retail, commercial, and industrial industries.
It has also enjoyed a recent infrastructure upgrade, with the West Midlands Metro expansion bringing efficient trams and improving links to major cities such as Birmingham, Manchester, and London. For landlords keen to see city-wide improvements as part of their investment strategy, Wolverhampton delivers.
While this Midlands location doesn’t present the low-entry or exceptionally high growth that other UK cities may offer, Wolverhampton offers a confident investment opportunity in a well-established location, with established rental demand and the strong potential for a longer term ROI.
Wolverhampton: Property Stats
- Average Property Price (end 2025): £211,420
- Property Price Growth (Oct ’24 to Oct ’25): +5%
- Average Gross Rental Yield (2025): 6.5%
Buy-to-Let and Portfolio Mortgages with Clifton Private Finance
A specialist UK mortgage and finance broker, Clifton Private Finance is here to help you get the most suitable funding to secure your property investment. Our expert team will work with you to evaluate your financial position, determine the right financial product, and match you with the lenders that offer the best deals for you.
Complete the simple form to receive tailored buy-to-let mortgage options. Loading form...Get a Buy-to-Let Mortgage Quote
Our expertise extends beyond basic mortgages, giving you the opportunity to explore:
- Bridging finance that provides rapid funding to take advantage of time-sensitive deals and auction purchases
- Buy-to-let portfolio mortgage solutions to organise all your investments into a single lower-cost and easy-to-administrate package
- Specialist buy-to-let mortgages from lenders who can consider topslicing, unusual property types, and bespoke mortgage terms
- Mortgages with a wider range of LTVs and deposit requirements
For comprehensive mortgage and funding expertise, book a consultation with a Clifton Private Finance mortgage specialist today.
