Almost one in five UK property searches by GCC residents focused on Scotland, led by Edinburgh and Glasgow
Scotland has become one of the most searched UK destinations for property buyers in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), according to data analysis by digital bank Nomo.
Its latest Property Pulse report showed that in the fourth quarter of 2025, Scotland accounted for 18% of UK property searches from GCC residents — close to one in five — and was regularly placed among the three most searched UK regions, alongside London.
In April 2025, Scotland and London were level as the joint most searched locations, each taking 23% of GCC search activity. Scotland has also stayed in the top three regions since Nomo began monitoring GCC searches in December 2024.
The United Arab Emirates was the largest source of demand for Scotland, contributing 60% of GCC searches focused on the country. Saudi Arabia was second at 29%, a higher share than its contribution to UK-wide GCC searches, which stood at 22%.
Share of UK residential property searches by GCC residents, by region 
Source: Nomo
Within Scotland, Edinburgh and Glasgow drew the most attention, representing 18% and 14% of Scottish GCC searches respectively. Nomo also pointed to interest in parts of the Central Belt, including South Lanarkshire and Stirling.
The bank linked the search trend to market performance, noting that Scotland recorded the strongest annual house price growth of any mainland UK region. Halifax’s house price index put average prices in Scotland at £221,711 in January, up 5.4% year on year.
“The data shows a clear affinity between GCC residents and Scottish property, particularly across Edinburgh and Glasgow,” said Emma Bilan, head of property finance at Nomo. “Scotland’s housing market continues to be supported by strong fundamentals - from steady price growth to diverse buyer demand.”
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