Confidence rebounds across UK real estate. That’s the message from one of the industry’s largest-ever sentiment surveys. The landmark survey by the UK’s Real Estate Investment & Infrastructure Forum (UKREiiF), the largest real estate event in the UK property calendar and part of the Infopro Digital group, in partnership with research consultancy Holistic Insight, is based on 10,874 responses gathered from professionals who will attend UKREiiF 2025 on 20-22 May in Leeds.

Capturing sentiment from developers, contractors, investors, funders, consultants, architects, occupiers and the public sector, the results point to a decisive shift in mood. Positive sentiment has risen from 52% to 70%, an 18-point increase. Negative sentiment has dropped from 17% to just 6%, while neutral views have declined from 31% to 24% – indicating a more confident and decisive industry outlook.

Confidence building across the country – and across the project team

This is the first time UKREiiF, part of the Infopro Digital group, has conducted a sentiment survey of this scale. Every UK region recorded a significant increase in positive sentiment, with particularly strong gains in Scotland (47% to 67%), the South West (55% to 74%), the South East (52% to 70%) and Wales (53% to 71%). London (52% to 69%) saw a marked uplift of 17 percentage points, matched also by Yorkshire, the Midlands and the North West.

Declines in negative sentiment were also recorded across the board. The South East, North West and London showed some of the sharpest reductions, each down 10–12 percentage points in negative outlook.

Not only has optimism increased geographically, but it has also improved across the project lifecycle. Investors, developers, end users/occupiers, councils and Government, the industry leaders who are at the forefront of development, regeneration and infrastructure projects, saw a significant positive sentiment shift. Positivity rose by between 14 and 18 percentage points, with developers showing the greatest shift.

This was reflected by the supply chain. Positivity among consultants rose by 18 points, contractors by 14 points, and architectural and design teams by 18. The most confident groups overall were recruitment firms (82% positive), data analytics providers (80%), and housebuilders (78%), followed closely by accountancy firms (76%) and end user occupiers (75%).

Despite this shift, some challenges persist in parts of the industry. The public sector, for example, reported the highest level of negative sentiment at 8%, while developers followed at 7% – suggesting that pressures on finance and economic viability, planning, policy and delivery are not yet resolved. Indeed, planning issues were in the top three for over half of the developers who responded, while costs were a close second for the public sector (almost half of respondents) after geopolitical uncertainty.

Challenges persist – and vary by sector

While the national picture shows growing confidence, the 2025 UKREiiF sentiment survey also highlights persistent – and at times diverging – concerns across the industry.

The five most frequently cited challenges were:

  1. Geopolitical instability (48%)
  2. Inflation and increasing costs (41%)
  3. The UK planning system (35%)
  4. The UK political landscape (33%)
  5. Cost and availability of finance (30%)

Geopolitical instability tops the list, with nearly half of all respondents citing it as a concern. Inflation, planning delays, political context, and finance-related pressures also feature prominently – but the distribution of concerns varies by sector.

  • Developers most often cited the planning system (53%), geopolitical instability (46%) and inflation (39%).
  • Investors and funders highlighted geopolitical instability (68%), interest rates (44%), and inflation (41%).
  • Contractors pointed to the UK political landscape (43%), inflation (40%), and geopolitical instability (35%).
  • Consultants cited geopolitical instability (49%), inflation (41%), and planning (36%).
  • Public sector respondents flagged geopolitical instability (51%), inflation (46%), and cost and availability of finance (38%).
  • PropTech firms raised concerns around geopolitical instability (42%), inflation (32%), and technology and digitalisation (30%).
  • Recruitment specialists most frequently cited talent attraction and retention (46%), the UK political landscape (46%), and inflation (39%).

The picture is nuanced. While some challenges are widely shared, particularly around cost, confidence and policy, each part of the industry faces its own pressures. Unlocking progress, the data suggests, will require more targeted solutions.

From confidence to collective action

The 2025 UKREiiF sentiment survey paints a picture of an industry no longer blocked by uncertainty. Confidence is rising, along with a growing understanding of where support and reform may be needed — including better planning outcomes, more stable policy, improved access to finance, and deeper cross-sector collaboration.

Nathan Spencer, Managing Director of UKREiiF, said: “UKREiiF is in its third year and brings together professionals from across the real estate and infrastructure sectors. In 2025, it is expecting approximately 16,000 attendees, which gave us the perfect opportunity to undertake a sector-wide sentiment survey. The findings send a clear message. After a period of prolonged uncertainty, confidence has returned to the UK real estate market. Nearly 70% of professionals we surveyed are optimistic about the year ahead, and that positivity runs right across the country and every part of the industry. We hope this research helps drive meaningful conversations at the UKREiiF event in Leeds this year.”

Nicola Hanser, Director of Holistic Insight, added: “What’s particularly powerful about this survey is that it captures sentiment from across the full breadth of the sector. It shows not only where confidence is growing, but what’s driving it – and where challenges remain. Through the survey, we now have clear insight into the areas that need attention such as planning reform, policy clarity, access to finance, ESG delivery and long-term talent development. It’s a great resource for the property industry as it navigates an uncertain market and plans ahead.”

Download the report here: https://www.ukreiif.com/content/uploads/sites/3/2025/05/UKREiiF-Holistic-Insight-Research-Report-Final.pdf