Wigan: Former steel town is now England’s hottest place to buy a property, according to Zoopla

The former steel town of Motherwell has topped the list of the best places to buy a house in Britain this year.

The average house price in the Scottish town once known as Steelopolis for its steel industry is £134,700; but the postcode area will see the biggest price rise in the UK, according to Zoopla.

The town is among nine towns and cities in Scotland that make up the top 10.

Meanwhile, Zoopla’s analysis points to a contrasting outlook for southern England, including London; here, weaker price gains are expected as these areas continue to adjust to the lingering impact of higher mortgage rates and property taxes.

The real estate portal’s assessment was based on a comprehensive assessment of many key housing market indicators.

These included key factors such as housing affordability, the average time it takes for homes to sell, the number of properties remaining on the market for more than six months, and the prevalence of price reduction requests.

By examining these elements, Zoopla identified the mailing areas with the strongest prospects for 2026.

Areas at the top of this ranking often had properties that sold quickly, without the need to ask for price reductions, and had well-below-average unsold inventory.

Looking specifically at England, Wigan was closely followed by Liverpool (L postal area) and Stoke-on-Trent (ST postal area), which were identified as among the strongest expected prospects for 2026.

By contrast, house prices in southern England have already recorded small declines due to ample supply and uncertainty heading into the autumn 2025 budget, which is impacting activity, Zoopla said.

Although activity is expected to increase, buyers remain price sensitive, Zoopla said. He added that there were opportunities in London for “shrewd buyers looking for value for money”.

In Wales, Zoopla has predicted that Cardiff (post zone CF) followed by the city of Newport (post zone NP) has the strongest prospects for 2026.

Meanwhile, the website described Northern Ireland as the “hottest market for house price inflation last year”.

House prices in Northern Ireland have recovered from a low level after falling behind the rest of the UK over the last decade, the report said. The BT postal area, which covers Northern Ireland, was ranked 25th out of 120 by Zoopla.

Zoopla Executive Director Richard Donnell said: “Whether you’re buying or selling, local housing market conditions matter more than ever when making housing decisions in 2026. Basing decisions on a home’s value, affordability, demand and sales times in the local area will help sellers and buyers act with greater confidence.

“Our analysis highlights areas with the strongest potential for continued growth in sales activity and above-average house price increases in 2026.

“While prospects are strongest in Scotland and northern England, opportunities exist across the UK where demand and affordability are aligned. Price increases are expected to be slower in lower-tier markets, particularly in southern England and parts of London, but 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 differences in local demand for different property types could affect the market performance of homes.

Local real estate agents can help sellers gain a specific understanding of market conditions in their area.

Here are the UK’s top 10 housing markets with the strongest prospects for 2026, according to Zoopla, by postal area and average house price: