Two Welsh locations singled out in 2026 ‘hottest property market prospects’ list

Two locations in Wales have been predicted as having to the ‘strongest prospects for 2026’ according to property website, Zoopla.

According to the property portal, housing markets across Scotland and northern England have the strongest prospects for house price growth in 2026, a property website predicts.

And while no locations in Wales made the coveted top ten – two Welsh locations, Cardiff (postal area CF), followed by the city of Newport area (postal area NP) have the strongest prospects for 2026, Zoopla predicted.

Zoopla said that markets across southern England, including London, are expected to see weaker price growth as they continue to adjust to impacts of higher mortgage rates and property taxes.

The website assessed several housing market indicators, including housing affordability, the time taken to sell homes the number of homes sitting on the market for more than six months, and asking price reductions.

It took these factors into account to pinpoint the postal areas which it expects to have the strongest prospects for 2026.

Areas at the top of the rankings tended to have homes selling quickly, often without the need for asking price cuts and without an above-average amount of unsold stock.

Markets in Scotland lead the UK rankings, with just one location in the top 10 – Wigan in the North West of England – being situated outside Scotland, Zoopla said.

Looking at England only, Wigan was followed by the Liverpool (postal area L) and Stoke-on-Trent (postal area ST) areas among the markets with the strongest expected prospects for 2026.

Zoopla said that, by contrast, house prices are already recording small falls typically across southern England, due to plentiful supply and uncertainty leading up to the autumn Budget in 2025, which had an impact on activity. Although activity is expected to pick up, buyers remain price sensitive, Zoopla said. It added that there are opportunities in London for “canny buyers seeking value for money”.

Meanwhile, the website described Northern Ireland as “the hottest market for house price inflation over the last year”.

It said house prices in Northern Ireland have rebounded off a low base, after lagging behind the rest of the UK over the past decade. The BT postal area covering Northern Ireland was ranked by Zoopla at number 25 out of 120.

Richard Donnell, executive director at Zoopla said: “Whether you’re buying or selling, local housing market conditions matter more than ever when making housing decisions in 2026. Basing decisions on the value of a home, affordability, demand and selling times in the local area will help sellers and buyers move with greater confidence.

“Our analysis highlights the areas with the strongest potential for continued growth in sales activity and above-average house price rises in 2026.

“While prospects are strongest in Scotland and northern England, opportunities exist across the UK where demand and affordability remain well aligned. Price growth is expected to be slower in lower-ranked markets, particularly across parts of southern England and London, although improving affordability means the outlook in London is more positive than in recent years.”

Zoopla also pointed out that the characteristics of individual homes and variations in demand locally for different types of properties can affect the market performance of homes.

It said that local estate agents can help sellers to get tailored a insight into market conditions in their area.

Here are the UK’s top 10 housing markets with the strongest prospects for 2026, according to Zoopla, with the postal area and the average house price:

1. ML – Motherwell, Scotland, £134,700

2. G – Glasgow, Scotland, £163,600

3. PA – Paisley, Scotland, £139,500

4. FK – Falkirk, Scotland, £170,600

5. KY – Kirkcaldy, Scotland, £171,400

6. EH – Edinburgh, Scotland, £251,500

7. KA – Kilmarnock, Scotland, £126,200

8. PH – Perth, Scotland, £206,200

9. IV – Inverness, Scotland, £207,100

10. WN – Wigan, North West, £175,800