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

Home and Living

FIVE food cupboard cleaning products that beat the branded – all under £1.50!

Use white wine vinegar to get rid of yellow pillow stains Many cleaning products Brits already have in their food cupboards Cleaning expert on five cleaning products that can help clean your bedroom From limescale to stubborn stains, many household messes can be tackled with items that are probably at the back of your food…
Read More →
Breaking News

Taxing times for bereaved families as IHT receipts hit a fresh record

Inheritance Tax receipts for April 2025 to March 2026 are £8.5 billion, which is £0.2 billion higher than the same period last year. This surpasses the £8.2 billion recorded the previous year and marks a fifth consecutive annual record. Rising receipts come amid intensified enforcement and public criticism that the inheritance tax system is unfairly…
Read More →
Breaking News

UK property management sector tops £37bn

The latest research from Property Inspect reveals that the UK property and facilities management sector grew by 4.1% in 2025, with annual revenue surpassing £37.7 billion. Forecasts suggest that 2026 will see this figure continue to rise. Property Inspect has analysed data on the estimated market size of the UK’s facilities and property management industry,…
Read More →
Estate Agent Talk

How Estate Agents in Cambridge Support First-Time Buyers

Buying your first home can feel both exciting and overwhelming. If you are doing it in a city like Cambridge, you can probably dial that terror up a few notches. It is a place where historic charm meets a high-octane tech economy, and that combination creates a property market that operates differently from many other…
Read More →
Breaking News

UK House Price Index for February 2026

The latest UK House Price Index for February 2026 shows that:   The average monthly rate of house price growth in February was +0.1%. Average UK house price annual inflation was 1.2% in the 12 months to February 2026. As a result, the average UK house price currently sits at £268,000.   Damien Jefferies, Founder…
Read More →
Breaking News

Ready or Not: How Prepared Are Landlords and Tenants for the Renters’ Rights Act?

44% of landlords and 64% of tenants say they are not confident about what will actually change when the Renters’ Rights Act comes into force. New research from LRG shows that while the Act is widely known about, what it means in practice is still unclear for many people on both sides of the tenancy.…
Read More →