Ultra‑rich buyers hollowing out London
Friday 10th July, 2026
The London Assembly warned that wealthy foreign investors are buying high‑end London homes as investments or leaving them empty, inflating prices and pushing residents outward.
This gives Rightmove a chance to talk about how UK property listings and market data show where empty homes and investment buying distort local markets in London and the wider UK.
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Why have we flagged this?
This London Assembly story directly affects the housing market Rightmove covers and offers a chance to add platform data on vacancy rates, buyer origin and price trends to strengthen coverage.
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Thinking...
Data idea
One in X London listings now priced for overseas cash buyers
Show how many London properties are listed at price bands typical of cash-only overseas purchases.
Data to investigate: Analyse your London for-sale listings to find the share priced above fixed thresholds (£1m, £2m, £5m) and how that share has changed since 2016.
Why: A single rising share number ties directly to the debate on investment-focused stock squeezing locals.
Data idea
London flats empty longer than houses for the first time
Reveal whether time-on-market has flipped, with high-end flats lingering empty longer than houses.
Data to investigate: Pull median days-on-market by property type and price band in London since 2016, highlighting current figures versus 2016.
Why: A clear crossover stat shows where ‘buy to leave’ dynamics are most acute, in a way buyers and renters feel.
Data idea
Half of new £2m-plus London listings go under offer in cash
Quantify how much of the prime market is cash-only, indicating investor dominance.
Data to investigate: Analyse sold-subject-to-contract London listings to identify which were marked as cash buyers at offer stage for properties listed above £2m.
Why: A simple cash-share stat makes the investor effect tangible and newsworthy.