London’s ultra-prime residential market has rebounded strongly between January to June 2026, a jump in the number of sales for homes valued above £15 million, with £1.24 billion worth of property sold (34 deals), compared to £694.1 million of sales (27 deals) during the first half of 2025, says a new wealth survey by Beauchamp Estates.
In their latest Billionaire Buyers in London survey Beauchamp Estates say the dramatic 79% rise in the combined sales value achieved (26% rise in sales by unit numbers) is due to an influx of multi-millionaire and billionaire buyers into the London luxury homes market from America and the Middle East.
London’s ultra-prime sales market has risen by £546 million in just six months with US and Gulf buyers now accounting for 55% of all PCL £15m plus sales, the former driven by the booming American economy and AI/tech sector, the latter triggered by the ongoing US-Iran-Israel war in the Middle East which has led to a significant flight of capital from the Gulf states into the London real estate market.
The special mid-year 2026 edition of the annual Billionaire Buyers in London survey by Beauchamp Estates analyses sales of luxury residential properties valued over £15 million between January and June 2026, compared to the same period in 2025. The Beauchamp Estates bi-annual and year-end wealth reports, first inaugurated in 2015, provide a forensic analysis of both off-market and registered deals by multi-millionaire and billionaire buyers in London, derived from a range of sources and combined with the agency’s in-house deals database and local market intelligence.
What sold in H1 2026
All the buyers have been investing more money in London real estate during 2026, with the average sales price achieved during H1 being £36.5 million, a £10.8 million rise compared to H1 2025 when the equivalent value was £25.7 million.
Of the 34 deals, 22 were for homes sold for values between £15 million to £25 million, a further 7 were for homes sold for £26 million to £50million, 3 deals at values between £51 million to £100 million and two sales for values in excess of £100 million.
The top five biggest London ultra-prime sales in H1 2026 were Providence House in Chelsea (mansion sold for £275 million), The Holme in Regent’s Park (mansion sold for £195 million), the penthouse at Park Modern (£57 million), a Knightsbridge mansion on Thurloe Place (£55 million) and a penthouse at Chelsea Barracks (£36.5 million).
The majority of buyers have been acquiring either large freehold houses or mansions set in landscaped gardens. Where apartments have been purchased they have been extremely large, either spacious “turn-key” family apartments (three to five bedrooms) or penthouses located in newly built luxury developments offering concierge and hotel style amenities. Beauchamp Estates say the preference for large apartments is a shrewd investment strategy reflecting planning restrictions in the City of Westminster, now limiting new apartments to under 2,152 sq.ft. (200 sq.m.) in size, so adroit buyers have been acquiring larger units for their rarity value and enhanced potential resale value.
Beauchamp Estates observe that the buyers predominantly prefer dressed “turn-key” homes and have purchased either newly built lateral apartments or houses that have had a major refurbishment. The demand for second-hand homes requiring refurbishment has been small, apart from a few trophy mansions where buyers perceive capital value uplift potential once refurbishment has been undertaken.
During H1 2026 there were 24 freehold houses sold priced over £15 million sold, generating combined sales worth £977 million, compared to 17 sold (worth £519.7 million) in H1 2025; the luxury house sales market has doubled in size. The houses sold in 2026 are large family houses or mansions averaging 11,228 sq.ft. in size, a rise on the figure of 9,827 sq.ft for the houses sold in 2025.
In H1 2026 there were 8 apartments priced over £15 million sold, generating combined sales worth £197 million, compared to 9 sold (worth £158.4m) in H1 2025. Beauchamp Estates say the sales value has risen because the apartments sold in 2026 (typically 4,759 sq.ft. in size) are worth an average of £6,844 per sqft, the premium price a reflection of them being newly built and located in luxury apartment buildings in locations including Curzon Street, Queensway and Berkeley Square. In H1 2025 the average £ per sqft was £3,588 per sqft.
There were also two major bulk investment deals agreed in H1 2026, with a combined sales value of £67.39 million, in each case multi-millionaire buyers from the Gulf acquiring multiple luxury homes in new apartment buildings. Beauchamp Estates say these deals reflect the flight of capital out of the Gulf due to the ongoing US-Iran-Israel war, the money usefully “parked” in London real estate. In H1 2025 there was just one major £16 million bulk investment deal undertaken in the London market.
Buyers by Country/Region of Origin
Beauchamp Estates say that the London sales market for homes priced above £15 million has been dominated by buyers from America and the Middle East during H1 2026. Since the start of 2026 there has been a 10% rise in wealthy American buyers working in AI/tech and private equity acquiring luxury homes in London, Americans now account for 30% of all £15 million plus PCL sales, up from 20% at the end of 2025.
Just behind the Americans are buyers from the Middle East who currently account for 25% of all ultra-prime sales across the capital. The Gulf buyers are predominantly from the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Oman and are channelling up to 10% of their total real estate investment into the London property market to diversify their investment portfolio whilst the US-Iran-Israel conflict continues in the Gulf.
Together, American and Gulf buyers account for 55% of all sales in the luxury homes market in London, purchasing around £682 million worth of property in just six months. Their market dominance has also risen steadily over the last three years, in 2025 American and Gulf buyers accounted for 50% of all PCL ultra-prime sales, up from 45% in 2024.
Beauchamp Estates observe that the American and Gulf buyers are younger couples aged in their mid 30s to mid 50s with one or two young children. Their London property is part of a portfolio of homes and typically their fourth or fifth home purchase. They see value in the London real estate market with prices now over 20% lower than their peak 2014 values, other attractions include vendors open to doing deals/discounts, preferential exchange rate and London viewed as a good European business base, social hub and excellent place to educate their children.
All the American and Gulf buyers are “cash buyers” and tend to be extremely financially astute. For speed of transaction they will pay cash for their new London home but will then refinance the property with a mortgage, thereby releasing cash and having the asset registered as a debt in their accounts which is more tax efficient, especially for inheritance purposes.
Beauchamp Estates highlight that for the Middle Eastern buyers the Gulf crisis has led them to review their investment strategies. The surge in prices in the Gulf energy markets has generated significant wealth, and after several years of predominantly investing domestically in the Gulf, a rising number are now buying in London, particularly trophy mansion acquisitions: Dubai and Abu Dhabi’s loss has become London’s gain.
Buyers from India/South Asia account for 15% of ultra-prime sales, sales to buyers from the UK is 14%, buyers from Eastern Europe represent 7%, Western European buyers account for 5% and Africa/other 4%. By country of origin the largest group of African buyers are wealthy Nigerian families who in 2026 have returned to the London property market after a hiatus of several years.
The Vendors
The vendors are a combination of wealthy ex-Non-Doms, selling their principal London residence and relocating to lower-tax wealth hubs, and older downsizers (UK nationals) hit by higher taxes and running costs who have sold their main London home and relocated to smaller properties within the same area or moved to the Home Counties.
Beauchamp Estates say that over the last six months London vendors of luxury homes have become more flexible on pricing and open to doing deals with buyers. As a result the average difference between asking and achieved prices now stands at -16.2%, almost double the figure of -8.1% recorded in 2025. The figures were -5.4% in 2024 and -4.9% in 2023, indicating a significant shift in vendor sentiment.
Super-Prime Addresses: Winners and losers
During H1 2026 there have been significant winners and losers amongst London’s most sought after addresses. The biggest winner is Belgravia which in the first six months of 2026 has had nine £15 million plus sales, compared to just two during the same period in 2025. Belgrave Square and Eaton Square have been the location of some key trophy home sales.
Another big winner, a reflection of the current strong buyer demand for freehold family houses, has been St John’s Wood. Five £15 million plus sales have taken place during 2026 with the most popular addresses being mansions on Avenue Road and Hamilton Terrace – the district’s two “billionaire addresses”.
Another success story, arguably the most spectacular, is Chelsea. There have been five £15 million plus sales in the district including the £275 million sale of mega-mansion Providence House set in 2-acres of gardens, the vendor British billionaire and businessman Nick Candy, the purchaser British-Indian billionaire Suneil Setiya. The purchase is the most expensive house sale ever undertaken in London.
Mayfair with four £15 million plus deals is another favoured address. For American buyers Mayfair is their most sought after address, and American buyers currently account for 50% of all luxury homes sales in Mayfair, followed by purchasers from the Gulf who account for 25% of all Mayfair sales. Beauchamp Estates highlight that the majority of American buyers seeking homes in Mayfair work in AI/tech, fintech or private equity. Mayfair has become London’s “silicon square” – the leading hub for boutique AI/tech, fintech and private equity firms in the capital with over 165 fintech companies and around 200 private equity firms based in Mayfair.
In H1 2025 there were five £15 million plus deals in Mayfair, but Beauchamp Estates say the slight dip in 2026 is due to lack of available “turn-key” stock for sale, not lack of demand. Where newly built or refurbished homes come onto the Mayfair market they tend to sell well.
Another popular address, especially with American, Nigerian and Eastern European buyers is Notting Hill/Bayswater which has had three £15 million plus sales during 2026. They include the £57 million sale of the penthouse at the Park Modern apartment building overlooking Hyde Park, the trophy home purchased by tech billionaire Igor Babuschkin, Elon Musk’s AI co-founder. In H1 2025 there were two £15 million plus deals in Notting Hill/Bayswater.
Regent’s Park has had one deal, but an incredible transaction. The Holme, a mansion set in 4-acres of gardens, has been sold for £195 million to Abbas Sajwani, the son of Emirati billionaire businessman Hussain Sajwani. The vendor is understood to be billionaire Sishuo Huang, who purchased The Holme for a reported £139 million, now “flipping” the mansion onto Sajwani, representing a huge £56 million uplift in value.
In 2025 Hussain Sajwani purchased a £28 million townhouse overlooking Hyde Park and the Sajwani family reportedly bid this year against a rival UK buyer for a £55 million Knightsbridge mansion on Thurloe Place, eventually sold to the UK buyer. The Thurloe Place deal is one of two £15 million plus sales that have taken place in Knightsbridge during 2026.
Other London locations for £15 million plus deals in the first six months of 2026 include Maida Vale and Greenwich, both with one deal each.
Losers in 2026 include Kensington which has had just two £15 million plus deals, down from four in H1 2025, and Holland Park and Whitehall/Millbank, both addresses having no £15 million plus sales in over six months.
Hampstead has had mixed fortunes in 2026. The leafy district has had two £15 million plus deals, up from one in 2025, but Hampstead’s two famous “billionaire addresses” Winnington Road and The Bishop’s Avenue have had no £15 million plus sales since last summer.
Jeremy Gee, Managing Director of Beauchamp Estates says: “London’s ultra-prime residential market has rebounded strongly during 2026 with 34 deals for homes valued above £15 million, equating to £1.24 billion worth of property sold. London’s luxury homes market is being driven by American and Middle Eastern buyers who account for 55% of all the sales, purchasing a staggering £682 million worth of property in just six months.
The London real estate market has benefitted from the booming American economy and AI/tech sector and the ongoing US-Iran-Israel war in the Middle East which has led to a significant flight of capital from the Gulf states into the London real estate market. Beauchamp Estates has had an extremely busy start to 2026, especially with clients from the USA and Gulf. Since April 2026 we have done five big deals, all with American buyers who have wanted homes in London’s best addresses.”
Rosy Khalastchy, Beauchamp Estates Director & Head of St John’s Wood Office says: “London has bounced back, the luxury homes market spluttering back to life with American and Middle Eastern buyers currently dominating ultra-prime sales in the capital’s best addresses. We are also seeing a steady flow of wealthy purchasers from India, Europe, Nigeria and domestic UK buyers. Buyer demand is for freehold family houses, purchasers want to buy a slice of London property and keep it as a long-term investment and European city base.
“The US economy and booming AI/tech sector is generating significant wealth but unease over Trump has helped to generate a 10% rise in American buyers transfering some of their money offshore into London property purchases. Likewise since early 2026 the US-Iran-Israel war in the Middle East has generated a 15% rise in enquiries from the Gulf region, for both luxury homes for purchase and to let. The buyers include Gulf nationals, Gulf based UK and Europeans expats and also Indian, Pakistani, Lebanese and other nationals who are based in the Middle East.
“This has led to a significant rise in both sales and lettings deals in Central London to Gulf based families who have young children and want their families to have a safe base in the UK capital they can use when required. Beauchamp Estates has recently sold a £15 million six bedroom house in Hampstead to a European family who have decided to relocate and base themselves here in London.
“The biggest demand in the ultra-prime market at present is for turn-key freehold houses which families can move into immediately. Not surprisingly, St. John’s Wood, Regent’s Park and neighbouring addresses such as Maida Vale which have a large supply of freehold houses have done exceptionally well during the first half of this year.”
For further information on Beauchamp Estates Tel: +44 (0)20 7499 7722 or visit www.beauchamp.com
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