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Housing markets across Scotland and Northern England are expected to see the strongest house price growth in 2026, according to new analysis from Zoopla.
In contrast, markets in Southern England – including London – are forecast to experience slower growth, as higher mortgage rates and increased property taxes continue to weigh on prices. Many areas in the south are already seeing single-digit price falls.
Zoopla’s research evaluated key housing market indicators, including affordability, average time on the market, the scale of price reductions, and the proportion of homes unsold for more than six months. These factors were assessed across 120 UK postal areas to produce an overall ranking of areas with the best prospects for 2026.
Scotland dominates the rankings, with just one of the top ten areas outside the country. Motherwell (ML) takes the top spot, while four other Scottish markets fill the top nine positions, joined by Wigan in North West England. These markets benefit from lower unsold stock levels, fewer asking price reductions, and faster price growth.
Table 1: Top ten housing markets in the UK
UK rank
Postal area
Country/ region
Average price
House price growth %yoy
Time to sell (days)
% stock >6m old
Asking price cut >5%
1
ML – Motherwell
Scotland
£134,700
3.4%
14
7%
8%
2
G – Glasgow
Scotland
£163,600
3.0%
14
6%
4%
3
PA – Paisley
Scotland
£139,500
3.4%
17
7%
13%
4
FK – Falkirk
Scotland
£170,600
4.2%
14
5%
8%
5
KY – Kirkcaldy
Scotland
£171,400
4.2%
17
6%
13%
6
EH – Edinburgh
Scotland
£251,500
1.7%
14
6%
9%
7
KA – Kilmarnock
Scotland
£126,200
2.4%
22
11%
13%
8
PH – Perth
Scotland
£206,200
3.1%
25
8%
22%
9
IV – Inverness
Scotland
£207,100
3.5%
24
6%
23%
10
WN – Wigan
North West
£175,800
3.0%
32
9%
19%
Source: Zoopla
Looking southward, the English market with the best prospects for 2026 is Wigan, closely followed by Liverpool and Stoke-on-Trent. Markets in the North West take up six out of 10 spots in the top ten, while markets beyond the North and Midlands don’t feature.
The list comprises towns and cities where homes remain affordable or accessible to large employment centres, meaning scope for more sales and price inflation. House prices across these areas are below the UK average and there remains a general scarcity of homes for sale.
Table 2: Top ten markets in England with best prospects for 2026
UK rank
Postal area
Country/ region
Average price
House price growth %yoy
Time to sell (days)
% stock >6m old
Asking price cut >5%
10
WN – Wigan
North West
£175,800
3.0%
32
9%
19%
11
L – Liverpool
North West
£177,400
3.5%
33
7%
24%
12
ST – Stoke-on-Trent
W Midlands
£189,800
2.8%
32
8%
23%
13
WV – Wolverhampton
W Midlands
£208,700
3.2%
26
9%
20%
14
NE – Newcastle upon Tyne
North East
£167,700
2.8%
31
10%
20%
15
CA – Carlisle
North West
£184,500
4.0%
27
9%
22%
18
NN – Northampton
E Midlands
£260,100
0.7%
44
8%
20%
19
OL – Oldham
North West
£184,000
4.4%
37
10%
22%
20
M – Manchester
North West
£224,700
1.9%
30
9%
25%
21
WA – Warrington
North West
£231,300
2.9%
37
9%
23%
Source: Zoopla
Housing markets across Southern England and London make up the list of the areas at the bottom of the rankings across the UK. This is largely down to affordability pressures resulting from higher house prices and the fact the market is still adjusting to higher mortgage rates.
Areas across London including West Central, West, East Central, South West and North West London sit at the bottom of the rankings, reflecting both their combined average price of £711,140 and longer times to sell – with West Central London in particular seeing a time to sell over twice the UK average of 39 days.
Value for money is slowly returning to the London property market after a decade of below-average growth. Although many London areas sit at the bottom of the rankings, prospects in London are much improved on those over recent years and there are some opportunities for canny buyers seeking value for money.
Table 3: Bottom ranked housing markets in England
UK rank
Postal area
Region
Average price
House price growth %yoy
Time to sell (days)
% stock >6m old
Asking price cut >5%
110
DT – Dorchester
South West
£319,600
-1.3%
43
13%
33%
111
CT – Canterbury
South East
£298,400
-1.2%
59
18%
32%
113
TQ – Torquay
South West
£286,100
-1.9%
51
14%
41%
114
BN – Brighton
South East
£367,600
-1.1%
36
15%
29%
115
TN – Tunbridge Wells
South East
£401,400
-0.6%
50
14%
34%
116
NW – North West London
London
£621,700
-2.0%
53
12%
39%
117
SW – South West London
London
£706,900
-0.8%
50
15%
36%
118
EC – East Central London
London
£682,400
-4.5%
67
14%
47%
119
W – West London
London
£747,100
-1.5%
54
14%
43%
120
WC – West Central London
London
£797,600
-1.8%
82
14%
51%
Source: Zoopla
How can agents use this data in the living room?
Zoopla says agents can use this data in valuations to highlight their local market expertise to sellers, and reassure them that regardless of their local market conditions, there are serious buyers who want to make a move in 2026.
Market
What to emphasise in valuations to consumers
High ranked markets for 2026
E.g. Motherwell, Glasgow, Liverpool
-
You’re selling into demand, not waiting for it
-
Correct pricing protects value and speeds up the move
Low ranked markets for 2026
E.g. Dorchester, Canterbury, Torquay
-
Demand hasn’t disappeared — it’s more selective
-
The right sales strategy protects your final sale price
Mid ranked markets for 2026
-
This is a workable market, not a weak one
-
Sales strategy and approach matters more than timing
The 2025 edition of these rankings were a good predictor of price inflation over the year. While average UK house prices increased 1.5% in the year to November, the spread of growth was from 3% in the top ranked markets to a 1.2% fall in the bottom ranked markets. The same pattern is expected in 2026.
Table 5: House price inflation in 2025 versus last year’s rankings
Alex Rose, commercial director at Zoopla, said: “This data brings into sharp focus that there isn’t a one-speed national property market, with conditions varying significantly across the country. In places like Scotland and the North, sellers are benefiting from strong demand and faster sales, while in many Southern markets, success is more dependent on setting a competitive asking price to attract increasingly selective buyers.
“Agents who can clearly explain where their local market sits within this national picture and tailor their strategy accordingly, have a real opportunity to get ahead of the competition, win trust and instructions, and ultimately grow their business in 2026.”
Map of Zoopla’s 2026 rankings for house price growth across 120 UK postal areas
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