The best buy-to-let and buy-to-live locations in the UK

October 3, 2019

The latest research by lettings platform Howsy, has looked at where in the UK is currently the best place to invest in bricks and mortar to put a roof over your own head, and where is the best location to invest in a buy-to-let to combine the best of both worlds in tough market conditions.

Howsy looked at where has seen the best house price growth over the last year, where is home to the highest rental yields and where is the best option for a mix of both when investing on your doorstep.

The best buy-to-live locations

Brexit has caused house price growth to stutter across much of the UK but for those looking to invest in their own piece of property, there are still pockets enjoying notable price growth.

North Devon tops the table at 15% growth year on year, followed by Merthyr Tydfil and Blaenau Gwent in Wales, both at 13%, along with a third Welsh option in Caerphilly, up 11%.

Camden is the best bet in London with house prices up 10% in the last year, with West Devon, Forest Heath, Rochdale and Monmouthshire all up 9%, and Trafford seeing annual growth of 8%.

So you know where to live for the healthiest return on your house price but where should you invest when it comes to buy-to-let?

The best buy-to-let locations

When it comes to current rental yields, Glasgow is the best spot for a return at 7.5%, with Scotland also accounting for the next best three in Midlothian (6.8%), East Ayshire (6.8%) and West Dunbartonshire (6.7%). Burnley and Belfast are home to current yields of 6.5%, while Inverclyde (6.4%), Falkirk (6.3%), the Western Isles (6.2%) and Clackmannanshire (6.1%) complete the top 10.

So there you have it, buy and live in North Devon and invest in Glasgow and your sure to beat the Brexit blues to see an all-round return.

Founder and CEO of Howsy, Calum Brannan, commented:

“The face of the lettings sector has changed quite considerably with the advent of technology-based solutions to traditional problems, and now even the most amateur of buy-to-let landlords can own a home on the other side of the UK and manage their investment efficiently and effectively.

More accessibility via digital rental platforms now provides landlords with greater empowerment when managing their property portfolio and they can do so anytime, day or night, with greater peace of mind

The new age of letting agent not only provides this greater peace of mind but as they tend to operate on a UK-wide scale, they are better placed to deal with the day to day needs of the buy-to-let sector, whether it’s one property at the other end of the country, or a number of properties spread over different regions.

As a result, landlords are no longer restricted to investing within the local vicinity to keep tabs on their property or forced to pay exuberant fees for an agent to do so, leaving them free to buy in one section of the market and invest in another to maximise their financial gain across the board.”

Best place to live – Rankings by average annual house price growth
Location
Annual House Price Growth
North Devon
15%
Merthyr Tydfil
13%
Blaenau Gwent
13%
Caerphilly
11%
Camden
10%
West Devon
9%
Forest Heath
9%
Rochdale
9%
Monmouthshire
9%
Trafford
8%
England
0.3%
Wales
4.2%
Scotland
1.4%
Northern Ireland
1.6%
United Kingdom
0.7%
Place to invest – Rankings by average rental yield
Location
Current Rental Yields
Glasgow City
7.5%
Midlothian
6.8%
East Ayrshire
6.8%
West Dunbartonshire
6.7%
Burnley
6.5%
Belfast
6.5%
Inverclyde
6.4%
Falkirk
6.3%
Western Isles
6.2%
Clackmannanshire
6.1%
England
4.1%
Wales
3.7%
Scotland
5.7%
Northern Ireland
5.4%
United Kingdom
3.5%

 

Sources
Average House Price
Source
All UK
Private Rental Market
England
Wales
Scotland
Northern Ireland

Properganda PR

National and local media coverage for property businesses. Journo quotes delivered in minutes.

You May Also Enjoy

Letting Agent Talk

The Hidden Cost of Deposit Disputes for Letting Agents

Nobody gets into lettings because they love arguing over oven grease. Yet for a growing number of letting agents across London and beyond, deposit disputes at the end of a tenancy have become one of the most quietly destructive parts of the job — eating into time, draining morale, and slowly eroding the trust that…
Read More →
Breaking News

Britain’s strongest housing markets revealed

The latest research from Benham and Reeves reveals the best-performing housing markets across Great Britain when it comes to the average rate of house price growth seen over the course of 2025, with the northern regions and Scotland outperforming most of the rest of the country with annual price growth of up to 11%. Last…
Read More →
Rightmove logo
Breaking News

Over £900 million economic opportunity lost to property fall throughs

Analysis from the UK’s largest property platform Rightmove reveals there is an economic opportunity of over £900 million in England if the number of property transactions falling through can be reduced The calculations show that nearly £392m in potential estate agency revenue and £515m in potential government stamp duty receipts were lost last year to…
Read More →
Breaking News

Landlords chasing rental arrears of £470m

The latest research from Propoly – the platform that automates compliance, reduces risk and protects landlords – has revealed that landlords in England deal with more than £470 million worth of rent arrears in a year, with the largest number of tenants in arrears found in London and the North East. Propoly has analysed the…
Read More →
Estate Agent Talk

Building Buyer Trust Through Architectural Visualization in Real Estate Marketing

In real estate marketing, trust is not a soft value. It is a transaction driver. Buyers commit to years of financial exposure based on how credible a project feels long before it is built. That credibility is no longer shaped by brochures alone. Today, developers often work with a rendering agency to construct a visual…
Read More →
Crowded beaches - Clacton-on-Sea in Essex
Breaking News

£84.2bn in internationally owned homes across England

The latest market analysis by Jefferies London has found that the current market value of foreign-owned homes across England stands at an estimated £84.2bn, with London accounting for £43.9bn, the largest share of any region. Jefferies London analysed estimates of foreign homeownership across England, alongside average house price data, to calculate the estimated total market…
Read More →