The UK’s largest city with over 7.83 million inhabitants, and the country’s economic hub, London has long enjoyed a reputation for being a bustling cosmopolitan metropolis. An international city since Roman times, London has everything an urbanite could wish for, from museums and art galleries to world class restaurants and designer shops, as well as a wealth of top theatre, sporting and music venues.

London’s economy is driven mainly by the financial services, retail, media and fashion industries, with many UK and international companies choosing to base their headquarters here. Academically, London is also home to many world renowned universities such as University College London, along with famous fashion and art institutions such as the Royal Academy and Central St Martins art, media and fashion school, which attract students from around the world.

Along with three international airports and excellent rail and road links to the rest of the UK and Europe, London is also currently enjoying an infrastructure upgrade, thanks to its status as Olympic host city for the 2012 Games. Already, extensions to the DLR and East London line have helped to link south eastern London with other parts of the city. The Crossrail Project, due to be completed in 2018, will further enhance east to west travel across the capital.

Built along the banks of the River Thames and boasting numerous manicured parks, canal walks and green spaces, London is able to offer residents and visitors a variety of urban landscapes. This diversity, together with its iconic skyline, riverside setting and historic architecture, make London a highly desirable place in which to purchase property.

Small wonder then that the UK’s capital city harbours some of the most expensive properties in the country, with average property prices here almost double the national average at £441K.

However, the returns are also excellent, especially in the rental sector where a booming tourist trade, boosted by the 2012 Olympic Games, together with an increase in demand for rental properties from students, migrant workers and young professionals currently unable to afford to buy homes, provide plenty of opportunities to reap excellent profits on investment properties bought for rental income purposes.

Although properties for sale in west, central and north London tend to be on the pricey side, buying property in key parts of south, east, north-east and north-west London, including areas such as Woolwich, Stratford, and Wembley, is still an affordable option. Here, new housing developments and city regeneration schemes driven by urban sprawl and the 2012 Olympics mean that real estate in these up-and-coming areas are guaranteed to enjoy excellent capital growth over the coming years.

Properties for sale in London