Zoopla has revealed its property hotspot locations across the UK, where a large proportion of houses rose by impressive amounts. Roughly half of the UK’s 30million homes increased by £9,900 on average last year, while one region saw its homes skyrocket by a median of £26,600.
The website found “clear cut” differences across the UK, with more than 70% of homeowners in northern England, Scotland and Northern Ireland recording gains for their homes. Renfrewshire in Scotland was the local authority with the largest proportion of house value increases (95%), giving homeowners an average of £12,500 extra and earning it the top spot on Zoopla’s ranking. Waltham Forest in London saw the highest average gain at £26,600, although only 59% of homes saw an increase.
Richard Donnell, executive director at Zoopla, said: “The general trend is that most home values continue to increase steadily upwards, especially away from southern England.
“However, many homes are registering broadly static or lower values as the market continues to adjust to higher mortgage rates and more homes for sale which is boosting choice for buyers. This is particularly prevalent in southern England.
“The choppier and complex market conditions in the south makes it critical for sellers to be realistic on pricing in 2026.”
Northern Ireland fared best among all nations on average, with Zoopla estimating that a staggering 94% of homes increased in value last year by £14,200, above the UK median.
Nearly three-quarters (73%) of homes in Scotland increased in value, by an average of £10,400, while 72% of homes in the North West saw valuations increase, by £9,700 on average.
More than 60% of homes in the North East and Wales also recorded gains in home values over 2025. Hotspots included Northumberland, where 78% of homes registered gains, and Wrexham, where 79% of homes saw increases.
However, around 9.1 million houses across the UK lost at least 1% of their value last year, with an average loss of £10,800.
Six in 10 of these homes were in southern England, which Zoopla attributed to affordability challenges due to higher house prices, and a wider choice of homes on the market.
