A new report from Colliers has evaluated 20 major UK towns and cities, identifying what it believes are the best locations for real estate investment.
There was more positive news for the Manchester property market this month, as the Colliers Top UK Residential Investment Cities Report H1 2025 (1) named the city one of the most attractive UK destinations for investors.
Manchester claimed second place overall, with Colliers describing it as “the regional city of choice for both domestic and international investment.”
London claimed the highest rank for the first time since the report’s introduction in 2021.
The Colliers Residential Investment Cities Report provides a straightforward ranking that summarises how well each city performs across the 24 indicators compared to the other cities in this study.
The city with the highest score for an indicator ranks first, while the city with the lowest score ranks 20th.
The indicators are further divided by relevance into five pillars, each with a 20% weighting in determining the overall ranking of a city.
These pillars are represented as Economics, Research and Development (R&D), Livability, Property, and Economic factors.
This method allows readers to gain easily digestible insights into how 20 of the UK’s most well-known towns and cities compare to one another in terms of residential investment potential.
Manchester has continued to grow as a hub of activity for the property market in recent years, with both buy-to-let landlords and homebuyers flocking to the area for its availability of housing stock and relatively affordable prices.
Colliers also notes that the city boasts an £80 billion economy powered by a ‘deep talent pool – fuelled by the UK’s largest student population outside London.’
Data from Colliers indicates that Manchester has seen improvements in its rental yields compared to previous reports, while also achieving the top ranks for House Price Growth and its Share of Renters.
The city is placed in the top five overall within the Economics, R&D, and Property pillars thanks to its GDP and population growth forecasts, suggesting that its upward trajectory isn’t set to end anytime soon.
The Colliers Top UK Residential Investment Cities Report provides a positive outlook for the city of Manchester concerning its potential as an investment hub, which will be welcomed by both property vendors and investors.
Even more encouraging is that the outlook for the wider North West region is also positive, with indicators such as house price growth and buyer demand both outperforming other areas.
According to RICS in its June 2025 RICS UK Residential Market Survey (2), respondents indicated strong house price growth and increased New Buyer Enquiries over the past three months – a trend which has continued throughout 2025.
The Manchester property market is heating up like never before – and now is the time to act.
With over 40 years of experience in helping clients to buy and sell property across Tameside, Stockport, Cheshire, and Greater Manchester, Edward Mellor are ready to support you at every stage of your property journey.
Whether you are looking to move home, secure a buy-to-let investment or sell a property for the best possible price, our local teams are waiting to hear from you.
We also run the North West’s leading monthly online property auction, meaning that we can facilitate using the fastest method available to vendors.
To discuss your property journey in detail and take the first steps toward a successful transaction, contact our friendly, local experts using the link below.
(1) – Top Cities for UK Residential Investment Insights | H1 2025
(2) – June 2025 RICS UK Residential Market Survey
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