Blackpool has emerged as the UK's leading market for fixer-upper investment, with nearly one in eight properties currently listed on Zoopla requiring modernisation, repairs or cosmetic work, according to new analysis by The Property Buying Company.
The firm examined total listings across 50 of the UK's most populous towns and cities, excluding London, in July 2026, filtering for properties marketed as fixer-uppers. Blackpool topped the table with 71 fixer-upper properties out of 608 total listings, a proportion of 11.7%. Of those 71, 58 were houses and 13 were flats.
Huddersfield ranked second, with 75 fixer-upper properties out of 693 listed, representing 10.8% of available stock. Houses dominated, accounting for 71 of those 75 properties. Burnley came third at 9.8%, with 37 fixer-upper properties out of 378 listings, all of them houses.
The top ten breaks down as follows:
- Swansea and Stoke-on-Trent joint fourth (9.6%), with 160 from 1,659 and 107 from 1,114 listings respectively
- Hull sixth (9.1%), with 109 from 1,194 listings
- Leicester seventh (8.1%), with 158 from 1,960 listings
- Middlesbrough eighth (7.9%), with 33 from 417 listings
- Oxford ninth (7.6%), with 65 from 855 listings
- York tenth (7.5%), with 96 from 1,272 listings
The data takes on a different character when filtered by property type. Scottish cities account for three of the four highest-ranking areas for fixer-upper flats, a segment of particular interest to buy-to-let investors targeting urban flatshare or single-occupancy markets.
Aberdeen leads, with 26 of its 34 fixer-upper properties classified as flats, a proportion of 76.5%. Dundee follows at 64.3%, with nine fixer-upper flats out of 14 total renovation-ready listings. Glasgow ranks third at 60.7%, with 37 fixer-upper flats out of 61, and Edinburgh sits fourth at 60.4%, with 58 out of 96.
Further down the flat-heavy rankings, Brighton recorded 33.6% of its 131 fixer-upper properties as flats, Bournemouth 33.0% from 91 listings, and Newcastle upon Tyne 26.4% from 53. Southampton (26.2%), Milton Keynes (25.6%) and Southend-on-Sea (24.4%) complete the top ten.
"Fixer-uppers can be an attractive option for buyers looking to customise a property to suit their style and needs, while purchasing at a more affordable price," said Karl McArdle, co-founder of The Property Buying Company.
"They also present a rewarding investment opportunity for those looking to take on a renovation project and achieve a strong return through resale or buy-to-let.
"Whilst they require time and commitment, fixer-uppers can offer substantial long-term value, making the effort well worth it."
