Savills has published a research report examining the Cotswolds prime and super-prime residential market.
Long seen as a prestigious hotspot for UK and international buyers, the Cotswolds has a unique housing stock and varied lifestyle resulting in a broad appeal.
During Covid-19 and the well-documented ‘race for space’, prime prices increased by almost a fifth over a two-and-a-half-year period.
However, Liz Truss’s mini-Budget caused economic turmoil and much higher debt costs.
As a result, prices have fallen by -12 per cent since then, leading to net growth of 4 per cent between March 2020 and the end of 2025.
The international property consultancy describes the prime market showing signs of ‘bottoming out’ as prices stabilised in the final quarter of 2025.
Prime Cotswolds price movements (Savills Prime Regional Index)
Plum Fenton, director and head of Cotswolds country house department, said: “Although the market has normalised from the intensity of recent years, interest remains steady from local, national and international buyers.
“When quality aligns with value, they are prepared to act decisively, particularly for period homes offering secondary accommodation, acreage and amenities.”
Research shows the highest value markets include Burford, often referred to as “the gateway to the Cotswolds”, Stow-on-the-Wold, and Kemble.
Other notable areas for high-value sales include the surrounds of Cheltenham, Long Compton, and Stroud.
Highest value local areas in the Cotswolds (Savills Research using Land Registry)
International buyers represent just over a fifth of sales above £1,500,000 last year.
North American buyers increased to 13 per cent in 2025, up from the 3.5 per cent long-term average.
Domestic demand remains strong, with those from London making up 48 per cent of buyers.
Plum Fenton added that “against a backdrop of wider economic recalibration, demand at the top end is highly selective but deeply committed, with buyers prioritising architectural integrity, sympathetic restoration, privacy, and connectivity.
For vendors, precise pricing and presentation are paramount, and for buyers, decisiveness remains key when opportunities present themselves”.
The Savills report is available in full here.
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