Property investment stats for Woolwich, South East London

• Rental yields are attractive at 6.1%, which is competitive for London and supported by a high proportion of private renters.
• The area’s population is skewed towards younger age brackets, with the population aged 20-30 in the 87th percentile and 30-40 in the 94th percentile, suggesting ongoing demand from renters and first-time buyers.
• The achieved price is typically just £5,000 (the typical achieved discount) below asking, which indicates sellers are getting close to their expectations and liquidity is reasonable.

• The unemployment rate is in the 96th percentile, which is high compared to most of Britain and could affect affordability and rental stability.
• Social rented housing is in the 98th percentile, so there is a large segment of the market not accessible to private investors.
• The price-to-income ratio is 7.6 and the rent-to-income ratio is 38.9%, both of which are high and could limit future price and rent growth if affordability is stretched.

Woolwich’s fundamentals look solid for investors who value a high proportion of renters and a diverse, youthful population. The combination of strong recent capital growth (15.1% over the past year) and robust rental yields (6.1%) suggests there is still momentum in the market.

Affordability is stretched, with the price-to-income and rent-to-income ratios both at high levels for London, so future growth may be steadier rather than spectacular. However, the area’s appeal to young professionals and students, combined with ongoing regeneration, should underpin demand. Investors should expect a stable rental market and steady, if unspectacular, capital appreciation over the next year.