# Leicester top of the class for student property Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2016-10-28 Category: NEWS Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news Meta Title: Leicester Top Choice for Student Property Investment in 2016 Meta Description: Discover why Leicester is the most popular city for student property investment in the UK. East Midlands home to fastest-growing student population. URL: https://financedigest.com/leicester-top-of-the-class-for-student-propertyhtml ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/earth-globefyyubqso-1-1736844405899-compressed.jpg) - **Leicester most popular city for student property investment** - **East Midlands home to fastest-growing student population** - **Investment interest up 11pc in 2016** Leicester is top of the class for student property, reveals new research from [**StudentProperty.Investments**](http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0016JHYXG-Q2ozzgWCXU9o0RVZUbLLjoAK0rMRtbhd6yubbDs38rOtIZ1KyTYESS1GbfNjFYxw7fI2xSUqT-nRJuln5UlKGkHpFocesSJ5bP9OguZHWZAqFByFOIhvjAuoDjk_X9Gt0Tabrc1xYfrv4ych3Mr8GNmXjgSouYK38YGgRpV8CV43IqVl6hD2-qzzI&c=V_S5dJy7ZGDMgwSEzXoKNf0FqjwVC3SnOIA-qpf0rTmShVDhRHaugQ==&ch=gJmPoXmvqc2YNhPuNNqDF7a_0155zcJwodFgt6WB84jOHWRDmUTxOw==). The [city is the most popular among](https://www.financedigest.com/premium-bicycles-win-new-fans-among-chinas-city-folk.html "Premium bicycles win new fans among China’s city folk") investors, according to the portal, which specialises in student accommodation, accounting for one in six enquiries this year. The research arrives as students across the country have [left home behind](https://www.financedigest.com/is-africa-being-left-behind-in-the-push-for-a-net-zero-world.html "Is Africa being left behind in the push for a net zero world?") for the first time to begin their studies. According to UCAS, admissions to UK universities have risen 1 per cent for the 2016/17 academic year, compared to the previous year. The East Midlands is home to one of the fastest growing student populations, with admissions up 3 per cent year-on-year. The region is also home to two of the most popular cities for student [property investors](https://www.financedigest.com/high-streets-remain-an-important-factor-for-people-choosing-where-to-live-property-investors-on-alert.html "High streets remain an important factor for people choosing where to live – property investors on alert"), with Loughborough accounting for 1 in 20 enquiries on StudentProperty.Investments. Regional [cities are the most attractive cities for investors](https://www.financedigest.com/town-and-city-regeneration-benefiting-uk-investors.html "Town and City Regeneration Benefiting UK Investors"), with Bradford (14 per cent of enquiries), Newcastle (13 per cent) and Preston (8 per cent) completing the portal’s top five hotspots. Indeed, the most popular regions for investors are Staffordshire (17 per cent), West Yorkshire (16 per cent), Leicestershire (12 per cent), Lancashire (11 per cent) and Merseyside (10 per cent), all [seeing higher](https://www.financedigest.com/delivery-hero-sees-higher-gross-merchandise-value-in-third-quarter.html "Delivery Hero sees higher gross merchandise value in third quarter") demand than London. London remains one of the world’s most popular cities to study, but there are more [opportunities for development and expansion in the UK’s regional markets,”](https://www.financedigest.com/renal-cyst-treatment-market-covid-19-industry-analysis-future-trends-opportunity-growth-regional-outlook-and-forecast-2028.html "Renal Cyst Treatment Market COVID-19 Industry Analysis, Future Trends, Opportunity Growth, Regional Outlook and Forecast 2028") explains **Dan Johnson, Director** of StudentProperty.Investments. With economies in the Midlands and the Northern Powerhouse enjoying stronger growth than the capital, cities such as Leicester, Liverpool and Newcastle are attracting students for lifestyle reasons and lower [costs of living](https://www.financedigest.com/factbox-strikes-protests-in-europe-over-cost-of-living-and-pay-3.html "Factbox-Strikes, protests in Europe over cost of living and pay"), but also for job opportunities after graduating. Going back to school is not just for students, though, as investment continues to climb in purpose-built university accommodation. According to JLL, the student accommodation market is now worth $200 [billion globally](https://www.financedigest.com/global-citizen-seeks-up-to-1-billion-for-six-sustainable-impact-funds.html "Global Citizen seeks up to billion for six sustainable ‘Impact’ funds"), while direct investment in the UK sector has risen from £500 million in 2010 to a record £5.7 billion in 2015. [“Student housing has emerged as a mainstream](https://www.financedigest.com/why-student-housing-has-been-propelled-into-the-mainstream.html "Why Student Housing has Been Propelled into the Mainstream") real estate asset class in recent years,” confirms Johnson. There is still not enough supply to [meet demand](https://www.financedigest.com/veterinary-tables-market-rise-to-meet-large-demand-in-coming-years-fact-mr-study.html "Veterinary Tables Market Rise To Meet Large Demand In Coming Years, Fact.MR Study") for accommodation, which means that regions such as the East Midlands, where admissions are rising, continue to offer strong rental yields for the housing that is available. The UK’s [growing student population highlights how reliable the sector has become,” continues](https://www.financedigest.com/continuous-innovations-and-growing-urbanization-to-amplify-sales-of-privacy-screens-market-fact-mr-report.html "Continuous Innovations and Growing Urbanization to Amplify Sales of Privacy Screens Market: Fact.MR Report") Johnson. Student housing is counter-cyclical, with even the recent global financial [crisis](https://www.financedigest.com/six-ways-to-prepare-for-a-personal-finance-crisis.html "Six ways to prepare for a personal finance crisis") only driving more young people to turn to universities. Student property has weathered the storm, something that has made it increasingly attractive in the light of the UK’s [vote to leave the European Union](https://www.financedigest.com/london-ambulance-service-workers-to-vote-on-strike-action-union.html "London Ambulance Service workers to vote on strike action – union"). Uncertainty may impact other assets, but student property is widely perceived as ‘Brexit-proof’. In the first half of 2016, visits to StudentProperty.Investments [surged 11 per cent year-on-year and demand](https://www.financedigest.com/air-separation-plant-market-to-register-5-cagr-driven-by-surging-demand-for-nitrogen-gas-within-food-beverage-sector-future-market-insights.html "Air Separation Plant Market to Register 5% CAGR Driven by Surging Demand for Nitrogen Gas within Food & Beverage Sector: Future Market Insights") shows no sign of stopping. **For more information, visit** [**http://www.studentproperty.investments**](http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0016JHYXG-Q2ozzgWCXU9o0RVZUbLLjoAK0rMRtbhd6yubbDs38rOtIZ1KyTYESS1GbfNjFYxw7fI2xSUqT-nRJuln5UlKGkHpFocesSJ5bP9OguZHWZAqFByFOIhvjAuoDjk_X9Gt0Tabrc1xYfrv4ych3Mr8GNmXjgSouYK38YGgRpV8CV43IqVl6hD2-qzzI&c=V_S5dJy7ZGDMgwSEzXoKNf0FqjwVC3SnOIA-qpf0rTmShVDhRHaugQ==&ch=gJmPoXmvqc2YNhPuNNqDF7a_0155zcJwodFgt6WB84jOHWRDmUTxOw==) **.** --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---