Almost 203,000 homes across England and Wales are owned by international homeowners, with London accounting for more than a third of the total, according to new analysis from Enness Global.

The figures, drawn from Land Registry data identifying properties registered with an overseas correspondence address, show that 202,568 homes are currently owned by international buyers. This total has remained broadly unchanged over the past year, increasing by just 0.02%.

London continues to dominate international ownership, accounting for 33.9% of all such homes across England and Wales.

The South East ranks second with 17.2%, followed by the North West at 15.9%, highlighting that overseas demand is spread well beyond the capital.

HONG KONG INFLUX

By nationality, buyers from Hong Kong are the most prominent, accounting for 13.8% of all internationally owned homes nationwide. They are followed by Singapore (7.9%), the United States (6.8%), the United Arab Emirates (5.9%) and China (5.8%), with Malaysia, Ireland, Australia, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia completing the top 10.

Hong Kong nationals also rank as the leading overseas buyers across London, the North West, the West Midlands and Yorkshire and the Humber.

Malaysia leads in both the East Midlands and the East of England, while Ireland is the most prominent nationality in the North East. Kuwaiti buyers top the table in the South East, with US nationals leading in both the South West and Wales.

Within London, 68,729 homes are registered with an overseas correspondence address, with Hong Kong buyers accounting for 18.7% of the total. Singapore ranks second at 12.9%, while Chinese buyers move into third place at 11.9%, followed by the United States (5.9%) and the UAE (5.3%).

Tower Hamlets has the highest concentration of internationally owned homes, ahead of Westminster, Wandsworth, Kensington and Chelsea, and Hounslow.

IMPORTANT ROLE

Islay Robinson (main picture, inset), CEO of Enness Global, said: “International buyers continue to play an important role in the housing market, particularly across London and the wider South East where demand from overseas homeowners has long been a key feature of market activity.

“What’s particularly notable is how stable the overall level of international ownership has remained, with the total number of homes registered to overseas addresses changing very little over the past year.

“The UK remains a desirable place to own property for many global buyers.”

“This suggests that, despite a challenging economic backdrop and ongoing political and tax uncertainty, the UK remains a desirable place to own property for many global buyers.

“London remains the clear focal point, accounting for over a third of all internationally owned homes across England and Wales, but the data also highlights that overseas ownership is far from isolated to the capital.

“Regional hotspots such as the South East and North West continue to attract substantial international interest, underlining the UK’s broad appeal as a long-term property destination.”