38% of current for-sale listings are one or two-bedroom homes, meaning that in many areas, downsizers face competition for suitable properties.

Real estate investor Castleforge has secured a £37m loan to refinance a portfolio of 12 apartment blocks situated across England.

These projects are filling the gap left by the mass exodus of amateur single-property landlords.

The top-performing towns and cities could represent the next big opportunity, with strong yields in commuter towns and even some overlooked city suburbs.

Altrincham in the North West also moves into the top 10.

The research reveals where to live for value, commute, and quality of life – and Sheffield comes out on top.

Belfast’s rental yield is forecast at 6.1%, ahead of many major UK cities.

The new tool can be applied to residential, HMO, multi-unit, and mixed-use properties across the UK.

Hammersmith and Fulham mortgages average £3,708 a month, the highest in the league.

More than 128,000 rental enquiries were made on Gumtree in just one week.