Buyers from the UAE and the US were among the most active international purchasers in the UK prime property market during 2020, according to research from Enness Global.
The UAE accounted for 35% of international mortgage transactions arranged by Enness during the period, followed by the US at 14%. Buyers from Australia, Cyprus, Germany and Saudi Arabia also featured prominently among overseas clients securing finance for UK property purchases.
International demand had faced uncertainty following Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic. However, activity began to recover as the UK property market reopened and international buyers renewed their interest in prime residential opportunities.
While UAE buyers represented the largest share of international transactions, Malaysian buyers recorded the highest average property values. The typical property purchased by Malaysian clients securing finance through Enness was valued at approximately £5.1M.
US buyers ranked second by average property value, purchasing homes worth around £3.6M on average. The two nationalities also recorded some of the highest average loan amounts, with UAE buyers borrowing approximately £3.57M per transaction and US buyers around £2.94M.
The data highlighted the continued importance of international demand within the UK prime property market, with buyers from different regions demonstrating varying approaches to property values, borrowing levels and financing structures.
