Where are Buyers and Tenants Moving to? (So Where Should You Invest?)

New research from Urban.co.uk has revealed the top places that people in different age groups are moving to in the UK. By analysing the data, landlords may be able to work out where they can buy a profitable investment.

Online estate agent Urban.co.uk has evaluated Office for National Statistics (ONS) internal migration statistics to find out which cities in England and Wales are the most popular to move to.

Birmingham was the only area included in the top ten destinations for all age groups – 18-21, 22-29, 30-64 and over-65s.

Alongside Birmingham, Manchester, Nottingham and Leeds are all becoming increasingly attractive locations compared to London for those aged 18-21.

The 22-29 age group is also heading north, with many favouring Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds over the more traditionally popular London boroughs of Islington and Hackney.

Birmingham was the most popular area to move to for those aged 30-64, while the over-65s prefer greener regions, such as Wiltshire and Cornwall.

The main finding from the study is that young people are increasingly leaving the capital.

The figures found that Birmingham is London’s biggest rival for all of those aged under 65. In the over-30 category, 12,500 home movers relocated to Birmingham during the past year.

For 22-29-year olds, Birmingham was the third most popular city to move to, coming in ahead of previously popular London boroughs such as Tower Hamlets and Southwark.

Birmingham was also in the top five cities for 18-21s, with Leeds, Nottingham and Manchester making up the top three. Over 45,000 youngsters moved to these areas in the last 12 months, indicating affordability pressures and a definite trend of migration towards the north. This may be due to the quality of educational facilities and the student populations of these cities.

The co-founder of Urban.co.uk, Adam Male, says: “The range and quality of educational institutions north of London, in places such as Leeds, Nottingham and Birmingham, have undoubtedly played a large part in attracting more and more young people away from London and its surrounding regions.

Where are buyers and tenants moving to? (So where should you invest?)

“The interesting trend here is that young people appear to be staying in these regions after university and this is something we can expect to see more of in the coming years, due to their lively culture, increasing job opportunities and a competitive property market.”¹ 

Older generations are choosing more peaceful and greener spots, such as Wiltshire, Cornwall and the East Riding of Yorkshire over London. Birmingham was also included in the top ten for over-65s.

Visit Birmingham’s Emma Gray believes: “People are increasingly seeing our region as an obvious choice to build a career and raise a family, thanks to excellent schools, outstanding connectivity and affordable homes and amenities.”¹ 

Indeed, compared with London, Birmingham offers a competitive property market.

As first time buyers continue to struggle getting onto the property ladder, house hunters in Birmingham will find that the average house price is a huge £300,000 cheaper than in the capital.

The Birmingham suburb of Moseley Village was even named the best place to live in the UK by the Sunday Times, beating Mayfair in London.

Investment in the city, including HS2 and the Curzon Street regeneration, has also boosted Birmingham’s reputation as a business centre, making it a hotspot for start-ups and small businesses, in turn creating more job opportunities and investment potential. The city has been named, for the second time, the most investable city, above prime spots like Madrid, London and Paris, in an annual survey by the Urban Land Institute and PwC.

If you are seeking to invest in buy-to-let and beat the 1^st April deadline for an added 3% Stamp Duty, could Birmingham be the best place to do it?

¹ http://www.propertyreporter.co.uk/property/where-is-currently-the-most-popular-place-to-move-to-in-the-uk.html