"Commercial property remains one of the clearest indicators of wider economic confidence and what we're seeing so far in 2026 is a market that is becoming increasingly selective rather than slowing outright"
- Sián Hemming-Metcalfe - Property Inspect
Britain's commercial property investment market has recorded £5.08bn in transactions so far in 2026, with London and Yorkshire & Humber emerging as the two strongest-performing regions. The figures come from an analysis by property inspection software firm Property Inspect, released ahead of UKREiiF 2026, the annual real estate and infrastructure forum taking place in Leeds from 19 to 21 May.
Across an estimated 404 completed deals, the average transaction value stands at £12.57m. London continues to account for the largest share of activity, representing 38.9% of national investment and recording the highest average deal value at £23.23m.
The South East ranks second by total transaction value, accounting for 16.6% of all commercial property investment, though its average deal size of £11.53m sits below several other regions.
Yorkshire & Humber has been among the standout performers. The region recorded £461.6m in completed transactions, representing 9.1% of the national market, with an average deal value of £16.49m, the second highest in Britain.
Scotland, the North East and the East Midlands also posted strong average values of £14.22m, £14.10m and £14.02m respectively, while the West Midlands and North West each accounted for 6.7% and 6.5% of national investment. At the other end of the scale, Wales and the South West saw the lowest activity, representing just 0.8% and 1.4% of total transaction value.
"Commercial property remains one of the clearest indicators of wider economic confidence and what we're seeing so far in 2026 is a market that is becoming increasingly selective rather than slowing outright," said Sián Hemming-Metcalfe, operations director at Property Inspect.
"There is still a huge amount of capital targeting quality assets, particularly in regions where regeneration, infrastructure investment, and evolving occupier demand are creating long-term opportunities. Yorkshire is a good example of that shift, with strong average transaction values reflecting growing confidence in regional cities and development corridors outside the traditional London focus.
"What is particularly interesting is the spread of activity across Britain. London continues to lead in both scale and value, but several regional markets are proving highly resilient and increasingly competitive when it comes to attracting investment. Investors are looking far more closely at fundamentals such as connectivity, local growth strategies, and sector diversity.
"With UKREiiF taking place next week, the industry conversation will naturally focus on where future investment is heading. The data suggests there is growing recognition that some of the strongest opportunities are being driven by regional markets with ambitious regeneration plans and long-term infrastructure pipelines."
