A new thought leadership paper has asked whether the Home Counties – the typically affluent counties surrounding London – will be the next hotspot for investors from mainland China and Hong Kong.

The paper, from 11K Consulting, one of the UK’s leading Chinese PR agencies, was titled UK Property Market Outlook: Are the Home Counties the Next Hotspot for Mainland Chinese and Hong Kong Investors and High-net-worth-individuals (HNWIs)? 

It outlined a number of key findings, including:

1. Despite Brexit and the Covid-19 pandemic, there has been a noticeable surge in demand in residential properties in areas surrounding London (the Home Counties) from Chinese mainland and Hong Kong buyers over the last six months, thanks to proximity to good schools, access to green spaces, and good transportation links in these areas.

2. Two to three years ago, around 5% of purchases from Hong Kong and Chinese buyers were outside of London. Now this has increased to around 20%. 

3. Small houses with outdoor space or apartments with three-to-five bedrooms are the most popular type of properties among Chinese mainland and Hong Kong buyers purchasing in areas outside but still close to London, with an average budget from £500,000 to £1 million. 

4. The home counties (counties that surround London), Kent, Surrey, Sussex, Berkshire, Cambridgeshire and Oxfordshire are currently hotspots for Chinese mainland and Hong Kong buyers, and it is predicted that this will remain the case for years to come. 

5. Education, investment potential and access to more space are the top three reasons Chinese mainland and Hong Kong buyers give for buying properties in the home counties. 

6. For the next six months, at least, it is expected that the demand for residential properties in the home counties will be “going up and going stronger”, thanks to good education choices, more space for the money, and better yields. 

You can see the full thought leadership paper, including interviews with Savills Hong Kong, Property Vision and Hawksford, by clicking here.