New data reveals a 16% rise in residential property searches from GCC investors in Q1, with demand spreading across locations
Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) investors are showing a growing willingness to look beyond Prime Central London when searching for UK residential property, according to new data from Shariah-compliant digital bank Nomo.
Searches from the region rose 16% in the first quarter of 2026, with emerging locations outside the capital recording notable gains.
Hammersmith and Fulham entered the top 10 most-searched London boroughs at 3.3%, just 0.1 percentage points behind the more established market of Kensington and Chelsea (3.4%). Westminster remains the most searched location overall at 7.1%.
Nomo said the Hammersmith and Fulham result was unexpected, and may signal a broader shift in GCC buyer appetite away from traditional Prime Central London postcodes.
Outside London, Milton Keynes accounted for 6.6% of searches — double its share from the previous quarter — while Liverpool reached 5.3%, up 2.4% over the same period.
The figures are drawn from Nomo's latest Property Pulse report, which the bank produces to help brokers assess the scale and distribution of GCC demand for UK property.
The UAE remains the dominant source of GCC searches at 47%, though its share has declined from the prior quarter. Saudi Arabia accounts for 20%, followed by Qatar (14%) and Kuwait (13%). Bahrain recorded the largest quarterly increase, doubling its share from 2% to 5%, while Oman accounted for 2%.
Nomo Property Pulse · Q1 2026
GCC share of UK residential property searches
Percentage of total searches by country of origin
Source: Nomo Property Pulse, Q1 2026
"UK residential property continues to resonate with GCC investors looking for stability, transparency and long term value," said Layla Hamidian, head of property finance sales and servicing at Nomo. "As overseas buyers reassess where to allocate capital, the UK's well regulated property market remains an attractive destination."
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