The former steel town of Motherwell has come top of a list of the best places to buy a house in Britain this year.
The Scottish town, once known as Steelopolis due to its steel industry, has an average house price of £134,700 – but according to Zoopla, the postcode area is set to see the biggest price growth in the UK.
The North Lanarkshire town is among nine towns and cities in Scotland that make up the top 10 places.
Meanwhile, Zoopla’s analysis indicates a contrasting outlook for southern England, including London, where weaker price increases are expected as these regions continue to adjust to the persistent impact of higher mortgage rates and property taxes.
The property portal’s assessment was based on a comprehensive evaluation of several key housing market indicators.
These included the crucial factors of housing affordability, the average time taken to sell homes, the number of properties lingering on the market for more than six months, and the prevalence of asking price reductions.
By scrutinising these elements, Zoopla pinpointed the postal areas with the strongest prospects for the year 2026.
Areas that emerged at the top of these rankings consistently had properties that sold quickly, frequently without the necessity for asking price cuts, and with a notably lower-than-average amount of unsold stock.
Motherwell is best known for becoming a symbol of Scottish steel production during the 20th Century, but in 1992, the town’s huge Ravenscraig steel plant closed down, bringing with it significant economic decline.
The 200-acre former plant is now subject to one of the largest regeneration projects in Europe, with plans for thousands of new homes, a sports facility and a college.
Looking specifically at England, Wigan was closely followed by the Liverpool (L postal area) and Stoke-on-Trent (ST postal area) regions among those identified 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”.
In Wales, Cardiff (postal area CF), followed by the city of Newport (postal area NP) have the strongest prospects for 2026, Zoopla predicted.
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 a tailored 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:
- ML – Motherwell, Scotland, £134,700
- G – Glasgow, Scotland, £163,600
- PA – Paisley, Scotland, £139,500
- FK – Falkirk, Scotland, £170,600
- KY – Kirkcaldy, Scotland, £171,400
- EH – Edinburgh, Scotland, £251,500
- KA – Kilmarnock, Scotland, £126,200
- PH – Perth, Scotland, £206,200
- IV – Inverness, Scotland, £207,100
- WN – Wigan, North West, £175,800
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