Despite appearances, it’s not all-or-nothing in the buy-to-let market. It’s a difficult time for many landlords at the moment, but the idea that all of them will abandon ship the moment the Renters’ Rights Bill comes into play is just ludicrous.
Granted, a sizeable chunk of landlords are set to exit the market over the coming months. Some 37% of landlords intend to sell within the next year, according to Pegasus Insight. Moreover, just 22% of landlords plan to remain in the market indefinitely.
These kinds of stats are all the rage in the national media and trade press. We can see why – they’re certainly eye catching. But, it’s equally as important to keep in mind the research and surveys which highlight the market’s strength. They may be few and far between, but they are just as valid.
Indeed, our most recent research proved illuminating. For Market Financial Solution’s independent Q2 research, we surveyed a nationally representative sample of people on their buy-to-let aspirations. Our respondents were split across living situation (own their home outright, rent from private landlord etc), gender, age, and location.
The results showed concerns are still lingering, if only for the immediate term. Around a third (33%) of respondents said they’d like to own a buy-to-let property in the future, while 26% were unsure. Also, 24% said they’d consider buying a buy-to-let property before owning their own home.
But, the majority (60%) believed that property investment is a good way of building long-term wealth. Just over half (53%) said real estate is a safe and stable asset/market to invest in, and if our respondents so happened to win £1million in the lottery, 58% of them would use some or all of their winnings to buy one or more properties.
Fortunately, for existing participants, there is opportunity to get ahead of this across the UK. The coming generation of landlords are tactile, and various hotspots could emerge across the map.
A potential Northern housing boom
Of those who want to own buy-to-let property in the future, 62% would buy a property in a different part of the country to where they live as they think it would make for a better (or cheaper) investment. As to be expected this rises to 79% in London specifically.
Some in this industry may fall into the trap of assuming the only market worth exploring is the South East rental scene. All that matters is what happens within this bubble and if its costs and challenges are too insurmountable, there is no hope.
That is simply wrong. Many property investors recognise there is plenty of potential beyond the capital. In fact, for some of the (arguably) best opportunities, it’s worth looking upwards.
The northern market is booming. Around four in 10 buy-to-let purchases made in the first four months of 2025 were in the Midlands or the North, according to Hamptons. It also found that the highest gross yields can be generated in the North East, where they average 9.3%. The North West comes in at a close second with 8.2%.
Specifically, Redcar & Cleveland takes the top spot, with the percentage of homes bought by a landlord in the last 6 months here being 50%. Other popular buy-to-let investment locations include Darlington (40%), Derby (39%), and Gateshead (38%).
Landlords may soon be swayed by new opportunities too, given that existing Northern powerhouses are due fresh coats of paint. Reportedly, the government is reviewing proposals for new neighbourhood regeneration funding for deprived areas. The list of neighbourhoods hasn’t been published yet, but are believed to be concentrated around northern cities such as Manchester, Liverpool, Sunderland, and Newcastle.
York also holds plenty of potential for property investors. York Central, one of the UK’s largest city centre regeneration projects, is progressing nicely. New partnerships have been announced that’ll help facilitate the delivery of 2,500 new homes, 6,500 jobs, and £1.1bn in added gross value for the city.
For those who are truly willing to embrace the new and exciting, there are even brand-new towns to look forward to on the horizon. Labour’s New Towns Taskforce is busy identifying locations for potential new towns and we know over 100 undisclosed sites have been put forward by councils, developers, and landowners to the taskforce.
While an official list of options hasn’t been revealed yet, several potential prime locations have been suggested by industry insiders, and consultancies. Once again, Northen hotspots are emerging.
In early 2025, the think tank UK Day One recommended four sites to the government. These were Taplow in Buckinghamshire, Poppleton on the outskirts of York, and extensions on the borders of Manchester and Leeds.
More recently, the consultancy WPI Strategy identified 12 potential “trailblazer” locations for new settlements of 10,000 homes or more. Among them included Leeds, and Northumberland.
Those looking into these options may not feel a sense of urgency right now, with work on the new towns not set to commence until 2029. But that could be short-sighted, given how many would-be investors are preparing to get involved in the market.
Would-be property investors are gearing up for action
Our Q2 results revealed many people in the UK long to be landlords, but this isn’t simply wishful thinking. Of those who want to own buy-to-let property in the future, 44% are working additional hours/shifts to achieve that goal (or plan to do so). Also:
• 30% have taken on a second job,
• 52% are setting money aside each month,
• 33% are living with friends or family members to allow them to save on rent or mortgage payments,
• 27% have reduced or paused their pension contributions,
• 29% have find someone (a friend or partner) to make a buy-to-let investment with,
• 24% have sold other assets such as shares, or collectables,
• 30% have asked for financial support from parents or other family members, and
• 28% have used inheritance.
Indeed, it seems that new or expanding landlords are set to enter the market, just as sellers exit. Right now, 54% of those who want to enter the property investment market are actively exploring ways to do so. Most (68%) believe it is a realistic goal for them to own a buy-to-let property in the future.
Ultimately, as landlords sell up across the UK, opportunities will open up for a broad range of up-and-comers, regardless of where they’re based. As property investors position themselves to take advantage of this, they’ll want to partner with lenders who are more than happy to work with first-time buyers, new-build properties, and young borrowers.
