GCC searches for UK homes rise 16%

Searches for UK residential property from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) investors increased by 16% during the first quarter of 2026, latest data from Nomo reveals.

The digital bank, which provides Sharia’a-compliant UK property finance to GCC residents, said the figures point to growing demand for UK property across the region, while also suggesting investor interest is becoming less concentrated in the United Arab Emirates.

The UAE remained the largest source of searches, accounting for 47% of activity, although this was down on the previous quarter as interest broadened across the wider GCC region.

Saudi Arabia generated 20% of searches, followed by Qatar (14%), Kuwait (13%), Bahrain (5%) and Oman (2%). Bahrain recorded the strongest growth, with its share of searches rising from 2% to 5% quarter-on-quarter.

PROPERTY PULSE

The findings form part of Nomo’s latest Property Pulse report, which tracks demand from GCC-based investors seeking to purchase residential property in the UK.

According to the report, Westminster remained the most searched-for location, accounting for 7.1% of all property searches.

However, the data also pointed to growing interest beyond Prime Central London, with Hammersmith and Fulham entering the top 10 most searched locations at 3.3%, just behind Kensington and Chelsea at 3.4%.

Outside the capital, Milton Keynes emerged as one of the strongest-performing locations, accounting for 6.6% of searches, double the level recorded in the previous quarter. Liverpool also saw a notable increase, rising 2.4 percentage points to 5.3%.

LONG-TERM VALUE

Layla Hamidian (main picture, inset), head of property finance sales and servicing at Nomo, said: “UK residential property continues to resonate with GCC investors looking for stability, transparency and long-term value.

“As overseas buyers reassess where to allocate capital, the UK’s well-regulated property market remains an attractive destination.”

Nomo said the report is designed to help brokers better understand demand from GCC-based buyers and identify emerging trends within the overseas investor market.

Earlier this year, the lender launched Nomo Academy, providing brokers with training, product updates and guidance on supporting GCC residents purchasing residential property in the UK.