Investment property in the UK: what to buy and what it costs
Apartments and houses for sale in London, Manchester and Liverpool, rental yields, taxes on buying and owning.
By the HM Land Registry house price index, in July 2026 the average apartment cost about $566,000 (£424,000) in London, $261,000 (£195,000) in Manchester and $173,000 (£130,000) in Liverpool. A studio by a station in central Liverpool is for sale for $60,000, a one-bedroom apartment in Manchester's Northern Quarter for $147,000 and an apartment by Streatham station in London for $187,000. A foreigner buys a home without permits, and the UK does not grant residence for a purchase.
Below are the most interesting offers on sale now, from a $60,000 studio in Liverpool to a $434,000 three-bedroom house in Croydon, prices by city and district, rental yields, taxes on top of the price and the new letting rules. A manager will confirm what is for sale today and the exact price.
The market in brief
Prices and rules as of 2026.
Which properties investors buy in the UK
A manager will select a property in the UK to match your requirements and send the documents, floor plans and similar options to the chat.
A studio by Moorfields station in central Liverpool
$60,000
A 25 m² open-plan studio: a kitchen with gloss units and built-in appliances, a sleeping area for a double bed and a walk-in shower. The building has an entry phone, Moorfields station is 300 m away and the Liverpool ONE shopping district is a short walk. Let at $640 (£480) a month, 30% below the average one-bedroom apartment in the city, the studio yields about 12.8% a year before costs.
A two-bedroom house to renovate near Goodison Park
$100,000
A 49 m² terraced house in Walton, within walking distance of Goodison Park stadium: a living room, a kitchen-diner, two double bedrooms, a ground-floor bathroom and a rear yard. The house needs full renovation. The seller is not waiting on a purchase of their own, so the deal moves faster. After renovation, two-bedroom homes in Liverpool rent for an average $1,120 (£837) a month, about 13.4% a year on the purchase price before the renovation cost.
A one-bedroom apartment in the Northern Quarter by the tram
$147,000
A 49 m² apartment in a building with a lift on Church Street, in the Northern Quarter, the district of bars, cafes and independent shops in central Manchester. A 4.8 × 3.7 m living room, a bedroom, a separate kitchen with built-in appliances and a bathroom. Market Street tram stop is 130 m away and Piccadilly Gardens 320 m. One-bedroom apartments in Manchester rent for an average $1,340 (£1,003) a month, about 10.9% a year.
A two-bedroom townhouse with gardens in Crumpsall
$214,000
A 62 m² townhouse with a front garden and a larger rear garden on a quiet street in north Manchester. The living room has a bay window and a fireplace, and the house has gas central heating and double glazing. A leasehold with 930 years left and a ground rent of $7 (£5) a year. Crumpsall tram stop is 630 m away. Two-bedroom homes in Manchester rent for an average $1,650 (£1,233) a month, about 9.3% a year.
A top-floor studio with parking in Wallington
$174,000
A 33 m² studio on the top floor of a building of seven flats in the borough of Sutton: south-facing windows and a space in the residents' car park. Wallington station is a 10-minute walk. An 88-year leasehold, with a service charge and ground rent of $2,570 (£1,928) a year. Let at $1,160 (£867) a month, 30% below the average one-bedroom apartment in Sutton, the studio yields about 6.5% a year after these charges.
A one-bedroom apartment in a Victorian villa by Streatham station
$187,000
A 36 m² ground-floor apartment in a Victorian villa by Tooting Bec Common, in the borough of Lambeth. A living and dining room, a separate kitchen, a bedroom and a bathroom. Streatham station, with trains to central London, is 180 m away. An 87-year leasehold, with a service charge and ground rent of $3,310 (£2,476) a year. One-bedroom apartments in Lambeth rent for an average $2,510 (£1,882) a month, about 14.4% a year after these charges.
An end-of-terrace house with a garage and a conservatory
$400,000
A 57 m² freehold house in south-east London: a hall, kitchen, living room and conservatory downstairs, two bedrooms and a bathroom upstairs. It has a garage and a garden, and the house can be extended with planning permission. Abbey Wood station on the Elizabeth line is 2.3 km away. The seller is not waiting on a purchase. Two-bedroom homes in the borough of Bexley rent for an average $2,040 (£1,526) a month, about 6.1% a year.
A three-bedroom house to renovate by Waddon station
$434,000
A 69 m² terraced house that needs full modernisation. Downstairs, a 7.2 × 3.7 m living and dining room with a bay window and a kitchen; upstairs, three bedrooms, a bathroom and a separate WC. The rear garden is about 12 × 4 m. Waddon station is 450 m away and Wandle Park tram stop 390 m. Three-bedroom homes in Croydon rent for an average $2,480 (£1,858) a month, about 6.9% a year on the price before renovation.
What property in the UK costs in 2026
By the HM Land Registry house price index, in July 2026 the average UK home cost about $364,000 (£273,000), 1.4% more than a year earlier. London fell 3.3% over the year and Lambeth 6.3%, while Liverpool rose 8.1% and stays the most affordable of the three cities: the average apartment there costs about $173,000 and a terraced house about $240,000. A terraced house costs about $857,000 on average in London and about $340,000 in Manchester.
| Where | Apartment, average price | Terraced house, average price | Over the year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lambeth, London | ~$586,000 (£439,000) | ~$1,063,000 (£797,000) | -6.3% |
| London | ~$566,000 (£424,000) | ~$857,000 (£642,000) | -3.3% |
| Sutton, London | ~$379,000 (£284,000) | ~$619,000 (£464,000) | +0.6% |
| Croydon, London | ~$339,000 (£254,000) | ~$529,000 (£397,000) | -3.4% |
| Bexley, London | ~$327,000 (£245,000) | ~$555,000 (£416,000) | +2.0% |
| Manchester | ~$261,000 (£195,000) | ~$340,000 (£255,000) | +1.2% |
| United Kingdom | ~$257,000 (£193,000) | ~$310,000 (£232,000) | +1.4% |
| Liverpool | ~$173,000 (£130,000) | ~$240,000 (£179,000) | +8.1% |
Data for July 2026: UK House Price Index of HM Land Registry and the Office for National Statistics, the change over the year for all homes; dollars rounded up.
What yield renting out gives
The properties in the cards rent at 6.1-14.4% a year before tax: highest for the apartment by Streatham station, the house to renovate in Walton and the studio in central Liverpool, lowest for the house in Thamesmead and the studio in Wallington. The calculation uses the Office for National Statistics average rent for August 2026 for the city or borough and the number of bedrooms, and for the apartments in Wallington and Streatham it is net of the service charge and ground rent. London rents rose 3.5% over the year, and the UK average rent is $1,870 (£1,400) a month.
| Tax | Rate |
|---|---|
| Income from letting a home | income tax of 20-45% on the profit after expenses, from April 2027 in England 22-47%; mortgage interest reduces the tax at 20%, from April 2027 at 22% |
| Scheme for owners living abroad | the letting agent or tenant withholds 20% of the rent unless the tax authority allows it to be paid in full; from April 2027, 22% |
| Council tax | paid by the tenant while the home is let; the owner pays for an empty home |
| Sale | 18% or 24% of the gain; the return is filed and the tax paid within 60 days of the sale, the first $4,000 (£3,000) of gains a year are tax-free |
| Inheritance | 40% of an estate above $434,000 (£325,000); for an owner living abroad only UK assets are taxed |
Data for 2026: rents - UK Office for National Statistics, August 2026; taxes - HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC); country comparison - in the rental yield table.
Tax on rent from a UK property is paid in the UK, whether or not the owner lives there. Rates and examples are on the page taxes in the UK.
What costs to add to the property price
| Payment | Amount |
|---|---|
| Purchase tax on a home in England | 0% up to $167,000 (£125,000), 2% up to $334,000 (£250,000), 5% up to $1,234,000 (£925,000), then 10% and 12% |
| Non-resident surcharge | +2% on the whole price if the buyer spent fewer than 183 days in the UK in the 12 months before the purchase |
| Surcharge for another home | +5% on the whole price if the buyer already owns a home worth over $54,000 (£40,000) in any country |
| Buyer's solicitor | checks the title in the Land Registry and the contract, handles the payments, files the return and pays the purchase tax within 14 days of the deal |
| Service charge and ground rent | $2,570 (£1,928)-3,310 (£2,476) a year for the apartments in the cards; freehold houses do not pay it |
| Survey | a report on the condition of the house from a surveyor before the exchange of contracts; for houses to renovate, a repair estimate |
Data for 2026, England. A non-resident who owns another home: the $60,000 studio in Liverpool - purchase tax of $4,200 (£3,150) (7%), the $187,000 apartment in Streatham - $13,470 (£10,100) (7.2%), the $434,000 house in Croydon - $38,660 (£29,000) (8.9%). Without another home, the apartment in Streatham - $4,140 (£3,100). A manager will calculate the total for a specific property.
In the UK the ownership term and building charges are checked before the exchange of contracts
Mistakes cost more than the tax: an apartment with a short ownership term that is hard to sell or mortgage, a service charge that rises every year, a deferred facade repair paid by the owners, a ban on letting in the apartment's contract, and a house with a low energy rating that cannot be let without works. Murblz support removes these risks: we select a property for your budget and goal, check the apartment's contract, the building charges, the title in the register and the condition of the house, and run the deal until the title is registered.
The cost of support depends on the purchase budget and the goal, investment or relocation; a manager will calculate it in the chat.
Does the purchase give a residence permit
Buying a home does not give residence in the UK: there is no visa for property, and the former investor visa is closed. The routes to move are work, study, family, the Global Talent visa and the Innovator Founder visa, described on the pages UK residency and UK residence by investment. A manager will send homes for a move on a UK visa to the chat.
There are no restrictions on foreign buyers: an apartment or house is bought by an individual on the general rules and registered in the Land Registry. A foreign company registers in the register of overseas entities and discloses its real owners before buying. Since May 2026 England has new letting rules: tenancies are open-ended, no-fault eviction is abolished, the rent is raised once a year with 2 months' notice, the tenant can leave with 2 months' notice, and from late 2026 landlords register their let homes in a government database. A manager will check the contract and the building rules.
How we find a property
- Budget and goal: investment, a home to live in or a house for a family. The manager clarifies the city, district and payment method.
- A selection of real properties: apartments and houses with the seller's price, area, ownership term, service charge and a yield calculation.
- Checks: the title in the Land Registry, the term and terms of the apartment's ownership, council tax, the energy certificate and the survey.
- A remote deal: the buyer's solicitor, an offer, exchange of contracts with a deposit, completion, purchase tax and title registration.
The manager sends the selection to the chat, with sellers' prices on the date of the selection.
Options in other countries
Investment property in other countries:
- Investment property in Turkey: what to buy and what it costs
- Investment property in the UAE: what to buy in Dubai and what it costs
- Investment property in Serbia: what to buy and what it costs
- Investment property in Brazil: what to buy and what it costs
- Investment property in Georgia: what to buy and what it costs
- Investment property in Spain: what to buy and what it costs
- Investment property in Italy: what to buy and what it costs
- Investment property in Bulgaria: what to buy and what it costs
- Investment property in Cyprus: what to buy and what it costs
- Investment property in Montenegro: what to buy and what it costs
- Investment property in Greece: what to buy and what it costs
- Investment property in Thailand: what to buy and what it costs
- Investment property in Bali: what to buy and what it costs
- Investment property in Paraguay: what to buy and what it costs
- Investment property in Portugal: what to buy and what it costs
- Investment property in Egypt: what to buy and what it costs
- Investment property in Panama: what to buy and what it costs
- Investment property in France: what to buy and what it costs
- Investment property in the USA: what to buy in Florida and what it costs
More on buying in this country:
- Property in the UK for foreigners: rules, taxes and the deal
- How to buy an apartment in the UK
- How to get residency in the UK
- Permanent residence in the UK
- UK residence by investment
- Taxes in the UK
- London: what to see and whether to move there
- Manchester: what to see and whether to move there
All countries and budgets compared - on the page Investment property abroad.
FAQ
How much does property in the UK cost in 2026?
Can a foreigner buy property in the UK?
Does buying property give a residence permit in the UK?
What is the rental yield on property in the UK?
What taxes apply when buying property in the UK?
Where to buy investment property in the UK?
Can you buy property in the UK remotely?
How long does buying property in the UK take?
Don’t want to figure this out alone?
We handle the whole process end to end: we shortlist properties for your goal, run legal checks and support the deal through to registration. Ask your question in the chat: the free consultation starts right here. Legal representation before authorities and courts is handled by Murblz specialists together with locally licensed partners.
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