House price growth predicted for nine Scottish town and cities in 2026
Scotland holds nine out of 10 spots in a league table of UK locations where house price growth is predicted for 2026
Nine out of 10 UK property hotspots where house price growth has been predicted in 2026 can be found in Scotland, according to new research.
Scotland is showing the strongest potential for house price growth in the UK, with only Wigan in the north of England joining Scottish towns and cities in the 10 areas where values are expected to rise.
Motherwell in North Lanarkshire, where the average house price is now £134,700, has the highest potential for growth followed by Glasgow (£163,600) and Paisley (£139,500).
Falkirk (£170,600) Kirkcaldy (£171,400) and Edinburgh ( £251,500) followed in the league table.
Zoopla, the online esate agents, assessed several housing market indicators, including housing affordability, the time taken to sell homes, the number of homes sitting on the market for more than six months, and asking price reductions.
The UK’s top 10 housing markets with the strongest prospects for 2026, according to Zoopla, with the postal area and the average house price:
1. ML – Motherwell, Scotland, £134,700
2. G – Glasgow, Scotland, £163,600
3. PA – Paisley, Scotland, £139,500
4. FK – Falkirk, Scotland, £170,600
5. KY – Kirkcaldy, Scotland, £171,400
6. EH – Edinburgh, Scotland, £251,500
7. KA – Kilmarnock, Scotland, £126,200
8. PH – Perth, Scotland, £206,200
9. IV – Inverness, Scotland, £207,100
10. WN – Wigan, North West, £175,800
Experts said that markets across southern England, including London, are expected to see weaker price growth as they continue to adjust to impacts of higher mortgage rates and property taxes.
Areas at the top of the rankings tended to have homes selling quickly, often without the need for asking price cuts and without an above-average amount of unsold stock.
It took these factors into account to pinpoint the postal areas which it expects to have the strongest prospects for 2026.
Richard Donnell, executive director at Zoopla said: “Our analysis highlights the areas with the strongest potential for continued growth in sales activity and above-average house price rises in 2026.
“While prospects are strongest in Scotland and northern England, opportunities exist across the UK where demand and affordability remain well aligned.
“Price growth is expected to be slower in lower-ranked markets, particularly across parts of southern England and London, although improving affordability means the outlook in London is more positive than in recent years.”
He added: “Whether you’re buying or selling, local housing market conditions matter more than ever when making housing decisions in 2026.
“Basing decisions on the value of a home, affordability, demand and selling times in the local area will help sellers and buyers move with greater confidence.”
Zoopla also pointed out that the characteristics of individual homes and variations in demand locally for different types of properties can affect the market performance of homes.
Zoopla said house prices are already recording small falls across southern England, due to plentiful supply and uncertainty leading up to the autumn Budget in 2025, which had an impact on activity.
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Although activity is expected to pick up, buyers remain price sensitive, Zoopla said. It added that there are opportunities in London for “canny buyers seeking value for money”.
In Wales, Cardiff and Newport have the strongest prospects for 2026, Zoopla predicted.
Meanwhile, the website described Northern Ireland as “the hottest market for house price inflation over the last year”.
It said house prices in Northern Ireland have rebounded off a low base, after lagging behind the rest of the UK over the past decade. The BT postal area covering Northern Ireland was ranked by Zoopla at number 25 out of 120.
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