The Ryan Reynolds effect: Deadpool star puts Wrexham on the property map after snapping up football club – with Welsh city crowned busiest rental market of the year

• Wrexham has been named as the busiest rental market of 2023 by Rightmove

Ryan Reynolds has helped put Wrexham on the property map after the Welsh city was crowned the busiest rental market of the year. 

The Deadpool star has propelled the city, located in the north of Wales, into a housing hotspot after he and fellow Hollywood A-lister Rob McElhenney bought Wrexham Football Club in November 2020. 

Wrexham, which only became a city last year, has been named as the busiest rental market of 2023 by property website Rightmove.

Local landlords are now receiving 56 enquiries per property, seven more than the most popular area in London, which used to be one of the most competitive rental markets in the country.

Since buying the club, Reynolds and fellow actor McElhenney have transformed the city not only increasing its popularity with renters but house prices have also risen 16 per cent since mid-2020, as of earlier this year.

Ryan Reynolds (pictured) has helped put Wrexham on the property map after the Welsh city was crowned the busiest rental market of the year

The Deapool star has propelled the city into a housing hotspot after he and fellow Hollywood A-lister Rob McElhenney bought Wrexham Football Club in November 2020

Wrexham, which only became a city last year, has been named as the busiest rental market of 2023 by property website Rightmove

In Wrexham, the average advertised rent has also risen by 35 per cent since 2019, from £711 per month to £960 a month, according to Rightmove’s data. 

READ MORE: Wife of Wrexham star reveals ‘living nightmare’ as she was ‘planning her own funeral’ after being told she had an inoperable brain tumour… before Ryan Reynolds’ crucial intervention landed couple top New York specialist

Karen Evans, operations director at Monopoly Buy Sell Rent in Wrexham said it has been a ‘crazy year’ for the Wrexham rental market.

She added: ‘Like most areas of Great Britain there just hasn’t been enough properties to meet the demand from tenants and this has resulted in higher rental prices.

‘Due to the sheer volume of enquiries we’ve been receiving for rental properties, we’ve had to reduce viewing times and host group viewing sessions.

‘For cheaper properties up to around £900 per month in rent, we’re still seeing very high volumes of interest, with many working in the area still really needing a place to rent.’

‘We’ve recently had some landlords with higher-end properties reduce their advertised rent for the first time in a while, and tenants are approaching the ceiling of what they can afford to pay.

‘There are signs of supply improving, but there are still far more tenants than homes available and it will take a while for the balance to get back to normal.’

‘Over the course of the year we’ve seen more landlords come back into the market, but it’s not been enough yet to replace the homes that left during the pandemic, and it’s likely to be another busy year for the area in 2024.’

Since buying the club, Reynolds and fellow actor McElhenney (pictured together) have transformed the city not only increasing its popularity with renters but house prices have also risen 16 per cent since mid-2020, as of earlier this year

Reynolds and McElhenney paid £2 million for the football club when it was at its lowest ebb in November 2020

The pair oversaw a historic milestone for the club as the Red Dragons ended a 15-year absence from the English Football League by claiming the National League title in April

Ben Tozer and Luke Young of Wrexham lift the Vanarama National League trophy as Wrexham win the Vanarama National League and are promoted to the English Football League

Vaughan Schofield, owner at Belvoir letting agents in Wrexham, said: ‘On the supply side, we saw a wave of landlords sell up during the heights of the pandemic, taking a significant chunk of the rental stock out of Wrexham.

READ MORE: Wrexham announce plans to build a 2,289 temporary stand in time for Christmas with their new 5,500-seater Kop not ready for the start of next season – despite promise from Hollywood owners

‘Additionally, we’re seeing more would-be first-time buyers stay put for longer and less movement amongst renters who are looking to avoid a rent increase.

‘The average enquiry numbers don’t surprise me. For a three-bed detached or semi-detached house on a good street in Wrexham, we could receive 100 enquiries for the property.’

Reynolds and McElhenney paid £2 million for the football club when it was at its lowest ebb in November 2020.  Since then, the pair haven’t been typical super-rich club owners, sitting in a far-off country treating their investment as a cash cow.

Instead, they created the Welcome To Wrexham docu-series on Disney+ which aired in August last year. There are already two seasons of the show, with a third on its way sometime in 2024. 

Meanwhile, the pair oversaw a historic milestone for the club as the Red Dragons ended a 15-year absence from the English Football League by claiming the National League title in April. 

They also helped with celebrations when Wrexham was designated a city in September 2022 after it won the prestigious status through a competition as part part of Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations. 

The pair often attend home games at the STōK Cae Ras stadium and even sprinkle a little stardust too with some of the guests they bring along. 

For example, the legendary Elf and The Lego Movie star Will Farrell dropped in for a pint and chatted to locals at the Turf pub, close to the club ground, as a guest of Reynolds earlier this year ahead of a crunch match. 

Reynolds and McElhenney often attend home games at the STōK Cae Ras stadium and even sprinkle a little stardust too with some of the guests they bring along.

Ryan Reynolds cheers for Wrexham AFC, with Blake Lively, David Beckham and Will Ferrell

Will Ferrell earlier this year enjoying a pint in The Turf pub which is right next to the Racecourse ground and features in Welcome To Wrexham 

Wayne Jones is the landlord of the Turf Hotel pub, which sits next door to the club’s Racecourse Ground, has seen a boom in popularity since Reynolds and McElhenney brought Wrexham FC in 2020

But perhaps more importantly for the 65,000 residents of Wrexham living between the Welsh mountains of the Dee Valley the upturn in the club’s fortunes has brought hope of a better future.

Wayne Jones, landlord of the Turf Hotel pub, which sits next door to the club’s Racecourse Ground, told MailOnline: ‘The town really needed a shot in the arm and a pick-me-up. So this has come at exactly the right time.’

The pub, which is featured in the Welcome To Wrexham docu-series, completely ran out of food one day last August after Reynolds tweeted: ‘Highly recommend and burger and a beer with Wayne Jones at The Turf.’

Wayne said: ‘It’s been a little overwhelming at times. We’ve been so busy, but I wouldn’t change if for the world.

‘There is such a positive feeling around at the moment.

‘The club’s success will be good economically for a town that was looking like it had had fallen on hard times.’

Local estate agents say Wrexham is one of the few cities in the UK where living in the centre remains highly affordable. 

Analysis of the local market by another agency, Belvoir, shows that the average price of a Wrexham home is £192,914. Typical detached properties fetch just under £310,000 and terraces £140,000; a flat can be yours for well under £110,000.

The city centre has two indoor markets and a weekly one outdoors, too. While close to the new Explore science museum there’s Toast cafe and deli, which was voted the Best In Wales earlier this year.

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