Qataris have always been drawn to the UK property market, both as investment opportunities and second residences, and is one of the top 20 countries in terms of individual property ownership in the United Kingdom.
According to an analysis by Alford Hughes Qatar, the number of properties owned by Qatari individuals in London climbed by nearly 50% between 2018 and 2021.
Qatari buyers primarily choose to invest in Prime Central London’s golden postcodes- Westminster being the most popular region, accounting for 21.5% of all London properties held by Qatari buyers. Westminster City Council, which stretches from the Thames in the south to Regent’s Park in the north, encompasses some of London’s most desirable neighbourhoods, including Mayfair, Marylebone, St James’s, Bayswater, Whitehall, and sections of Belgravia and Knightsbridge.
The borough of Wandsworth is the second most popular place, with 12.4%. The multi-billion-pound makeover of Nine Elms, which includes the rebuilding of the Battersea Power Station, the new US Embassy, and two new tube stations, has sparked enormous interest in the area.
In the recent years, it has become part of a broader trend among Qatari purchasers to expand their search outside typical central locales in search of places with both growth potential and easy access to important central London destinations. Between 2018 and 2021, the borough of Hammersmith and Fulham witnessed the biggest increase in Qatar ownership, with a 76.5 percent increase. Parts of Earls Court, Fulham, and Shepherd’s Bush have also been popular among Qatari purchasers lately, thanks to this trend and large-scale regeneration across West London.
The analysis, which represents the number of homes owned by Qatari individuals, does not take into consideration purchases made by companies. Purchasing properties through a limited company has become more popular in recent years, particularly among Qatari investors who see various advantages to doing so.
“Over the next 12 months, we expect purchase rates to rise as travel restrictions ease and Qatari purchasers see a buying opportunity.” Our local investor network is taking advantage of a central London market that appears to be undervalued compared to historical values and has shown growth in the last two quarters.” – Ryan Dougan, Lead Consultant – Investment Advisory, Alford Hughes Qatar.
