What happened over the summer

Three bulk residential deals worth almost £80 million were completed in prime London over the summer, according to Beauchamp Estates, as reported on 25 September. Two were in Mayfair, where Gulf buyers acquired apartments on Curzon Street and Conduit Street worth around £67 million in total, bought as rental investments and long-term holdings. In the first half of 2025 there was one comparable bulk deal, worth £16 million.

The developer pipeline

On 14 October London Square, the London housebuilder owned by Abu Dhabi's Aldar since 2023, set out plans for around 9,000 homes across roughly 30 London sites over the next five years, with a total development value of £5 billion. Its sales in the first half of 2026 reached £251 million, up 236% on a year earlier, led by Bermondsey, Wimbledon Bridge House and Ransome's Wharf. Middle East buyers, mainly from the UAE, account for 10% to 15% of its international sales.

Why London still draws Gulf capital

  • Prices have not run ahead. London is the weakest English region on the ONS index, down 3.3% in the year to July, and Nationwide has it broadly flat, up 0.4% in the third quarter at £529,720. Overseas buyers are not paying peak prices.
  • Rental supply is tight. Zoopla reports 6% fewer homes available to rent in London than a year ago, and ONS figures show London rents up 3.5% in the year to August.
  • Wealthy tenants are arriving too. Applicants from the Middle East looking to rent luxury London homes are up 30% this year, which supports the rental case for the apartments Gulf investors buy.

How we approach London for overseas clients

We work with London Square on Westminster Tower, The Hexon in Nine Elms, Wimbledon Bridge House and London Square Woolwich, and we hold private consultations for Gulf investors who want to compare them on payment plan, completion date and expected rent. Our advice is the same as for any purchase: buy for the rent the apartment will achieve on completion, and hold for the long term. Our guide for UAE investors covers buying from abroad, and you can see the London developments or request a private consultation.

The bottom line

Gulf investors are buying in bulk while London prices are flat to lower, and an Abu Dhabi-owned housebuilder is growing its London pipeline to around 9,000 homes. For an overseas buyer who wants a long-term, income-producing asset in a global city, the conditions are better than they have been for some time.