Property experts at Zoopla have unveiled their forecast for the UK's strongest housing markets in 2026, revealing a dramatic north-south divide. The analysis predicts robust house price growth will be concentrated in Scotland and northern England, with nine Scottish locations and Wigan in the North West making up the entire top ten. Notably, no London boroughs feature on the list, with southern England expected to experience slower price increases.
The Methodology Behind the Forecast
Zoopla's research, published on 13 January 2026, examined a range of critical housing market indicators to identify areas with the brightest prospects. Key factors included local housing affordability, the average time taken to sell a home, the proportion of properties lingering on the market for over six months, and the frequency of asking price reductions. The top-ranked postcodes are characterised by properties selling quickly, often at or near their asking price, and without a surplus of unsold stock.
Richard Donnell, executive director at Zoopla, emphasised the importance of local conditions: "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."
Scotland's Market Strength and Regional Leaders
The dominance of Scottish markets is striking, with locations from Motherwell to Inverness claiming nine of the ten top spots. Glasgow, with an average house price of £163,600, and Edinburgh, at £251,500, are among the high-performing urban centres identified. The only location outside Scotland to break into the UK-wide top ten is Wigan in North West England, where the average property price is £175,800.
When focusing solely on England, the analysis highlights Wigan as the frontrunner, followed by the Liverpool postal area (L) and Stoke-on-Trent (ST). In Wales, Cardiff (postal area CF) is projected to have the strongest outlook for the year, with Newport (NP) close behind. Northern Ireland, described as "the hottest market for house price inflation over the last year," secured the 25th position out of 120 in the rankings, with values recovering from a historically low base.
Southern England's Slower Pace and London's Opportunities
In contrast, the forecast suggests a more subdued picture for southern England and London. Zoopla reports that prices in these regions are already seeing modest declines, attributed to a higher supply of homes and buyer hesitancy ahead of the autumn 2025 Budget. While the market is expected to regain some momentum, purchasers remain price-sensitive.
However, the property portal notes that London still presents prospects for "canny buyers seeking value for money," with improving affordability painting a more positive outlook than in recent years. Donnell added: "While prospects are strongest in Scotland and northern England, opportunities exist across the UK where demand and affordability remain well aligned."
Zoopla's full top ten UK housing markets for 2026, with average house prices, are:
- Motherwell, Scotland - £134,700
- Glasgow, Scotland - £163,600
- Paisley, Scotland - £139,500
- Falkirk, Scotland - £170,600
- Kirkcaldy, Scotland - £171,400
- Edinburgh, Scotland - £251,500
- Kilmarnock, Scotland - £126,200
- Perth, Scotland - £206,200
- Inverness, Scotland - £207,100
- Wigan, North West - £175,800
The company also cautioned that the performance of individual homes can vary based on specific characteristics and local demand for different property types, recommending that sellers seek bespoke insights from local estate agents.
