One Hyde Park, a super-prime residential and retail complex in Knightsbridge, central London. Getty Images
One Hyde Park, a super-prime residential and retail complex in Knightsbridge, central London. Getty Images
One Hyde Park, a super-prime residential and retail complex in Knightsbridge, central London. Getty Images
One Hyde Park, a super-prime residential and retail complex in Knightsbridge, central London. Getty Images

UAE buyers rank in top four for super-prime property in central London in 2023


Gillian Duncan
  • English
  • Arabic

UAE buyers featured in the top bracket of those purchasing prime central London property last year, according to latest research that showed the market topped £1 billion in 2023.

A report from super-prime property agent Beauchamp Estates found there were 54 sales of homes each worth more than £15 million ($18.9 million), amounting to £1.3 billion, sold in central London in the period.

About 60 per cent of them were bought by people from the US, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and China, who together purchased about £780 million worth of luxury property in the UK capital.

“Buoyant oil and gas prices and booming domestic property markets have generated huge cash reserves in Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi and Dubai and [those living there] have chosen to invest a significant chunk of these revenues in London super-prime residential property,” said Gary Hersham, founding director of Beauchamp Estates.

“The Middle East and American buyers have made their purchases in London’s so-called ‘platinum triangle’ – Mayfair, Belgravia and Knightsbridge – which is why these three addresses have been where the most £15 million-plus deals have taken place in 2023.”

The super-prime sales included a Mayfair penthouse, which was bought by a businessman from Abu Dhabi in a deal worth £30.45 million. The anonymous buyer purchased three properties, including a 5,818 sq ft duplex penthouse with roof garden, in Greybrook House, a Grade II listed Art Deco-style building in Brook Street to use as a London base.

It was one of 19 apartments sold worth more than £15 million last year in areas including Mayfair, Knightsbridge, Hyde Park and Whitehall, totalling almost £385 million, up from only eight sales worth £181 million in 2022. They averaged 4,894 sq ft in size, costing an average of £4,306 per sq ft.

The rise in sales of super-prime apartments was fuelled by concerns about personal security and privacy and a desire for five-star hotel style amenities, Beauchamp said.

Sales of houses and mansions priced at more than £15 million made up the majority of properties sold in the price bracket. The figure was down almost 15 per cent in 2023, with 35 sold in the period, compared to 41 in 2022. But the value and size were bigger, worth almost £925 million, compared to £876 million of sales the previous year. They were on average 8,826 sq ft in size, almost 480 sq ft larger than the equivalent 2022 figure, due to a rise in homes bought for personal use.

Belgravia was the most popular area for super-prime sales in central London, accounting for a quarter of all deals valued at more than £15 million. Other sought-after locations were Mayfair, Knightsbridge, Kensington, Chelsea, Hyde Park and Whitehall, as well as Hampstead, Notting Hill, St John’s Wood, Chelsea, Regent’s Park and Richmond.

About 70 per cent of deals worth £15 million or more in 2023 were made using cash, up from 60 per cent in 2021, due to rising interest rates and a squeeze in bank lending.

Buyers paid on average 5.6 per cent less than the asking price and the busiest periods of sales in both 2022 and 2023 was March to April and October to December, respectively.

The UK's 10 most expensive streets - in pictures

Recent research by Halifax found Grosvenor Square in London's Mayfair is the UK's most expensive street.

The UK’s 10 most expensive streets are all in the capital, with an average price tag of more than £14.5 million, the bank said.

Close competitors to Grosvenor Square in terms of price include Clarendon Road in Notting Hill and Knightsbridge Road.

Both areas have average property prices around the £20 million mark.

Homes in the priciest streets are about 72 times more expensive than the average UK home, which stands at £283,615.

David Haye record

Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4

War

Director: Siddharth Anand

Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Tiger Shroff, Ashutosh Rana, Vaani Kapoor

Rating: Two out of five stars 

COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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WITHIN%20SAND
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Company%20profile
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Winners

Best Men's Player of the Year: Kylian Mbappe (PSG)

Maradona Award for Best Goal Scorer of the Year: Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)

TikTok Fans’ Player of the Year: Robert Lewandowski

Top Goal Scorer of All Time: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)

Best Women's Player of the Year: Alexia Putellas (Barcelona)

Best Men's Club of the Year: Chelsea

Best Women's Club of the Year: Barcelona

Best Defender of the Year: Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus/Italy)

Best Goalkeeper of the Year: Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG/Italy)

Best Coach of the Year: Roberto Mancini (Italy)

Best National Team of the Year: Italy 

Best Agent of the Year: Federico Pastorello

Best Sporting Director of the Year: Txiki Begiristain (Manchester City)

Player Career Award: Ronaldinho

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Financial considerations before buying a property

Buyers should try to pay as much in cash as possible for a property, limiting the mortgage value to as little as they can afford. This means they not only pay less in interest but their monthly costs are also reduced. Ideally, the monthly mortgage payment should not exceed 20 per cent of the purchaser’s total household income, says Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching.

“If it’s a rental property, plan for the property to have periods when it does not have a tenant. Ensure you have enough cash set aside to pay the mortgage and other costs during these periods, ideally at least six months,” she says. 

Also, shop around for the best mortgage interest rate. Understand the terms and conditions, especially what happens after any introductory periods, Ms Glynn adds.

Using a good mortgage broker is worth the investment to obtain the best rate available for a buyer’s needs and circumstances. A good mortgage broker will help the buyer understand the terms and conditions of the mortgage and make the purchasing process efficient and easier. 

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The biog

Name: Dhabia Khalifa AlQubaisi

Age: 23

How she spends spare time: Playing with cats at the clinic and feeding them

Inspiration: My father. He’s a hard working man who has been through a lot to provide us with everything we need

Favourite book: Attitude, emotions and the psychology of cats by Dr Nicholes Dodman

Favourit film: 101 Dalmatians - it remind me of my childhood and began my love of dogs 

Word of advice: By being patient, good things will come and by staying positive you’ll have the will to continue to love what you're doing

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Part three: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

Afro%20salons
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Dust and sand storms compared

Sand storm

  • Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
  • Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
  • Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
  • Travel distance: Limited 
  • Source: Open desert areas with strong winds

Dust storm

  • Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
  • Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
  • Duration: Can linger for days
  • Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
  • Source: Can be carried from distant regions
MATCH INFO

Azerbaijan 0

Wales 2 (Moore 10', Wilson 34')

Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.

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Updated: January 02, 2024, 3:27 PM`