UK's cheapest and priciest seaside towns to buy a home

Daily Mail​

18 hours ago

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Buying a home in Dorset's exclusive Sandbanks is a dream for many downsizers looking to relocate to the coast. It's a stone's throw from a beautiful sandy beach, surrounded by luxurious yachts and is popular among celebrities. The catch? An average price tag of a cool £1.28million – which is the most expensive for a seaside town the UK, new research reveals.
That's according to property portal Rightmove, which has crunched the numbers for the costliest and most affordable seaside spots in the country, based on their asking prices. Of course, buyers may well negotiate to shave tens of thousands of pounds off the listed price - or end up offering more than the asking price to secure their home in these in-demand hotspots. All of the top ten town Rightmove says are the most expensive are along the south coast – but the very top spots are not in the typical staycation destinations of Cornwall and Devon.
Homes in the luxurious Sandbanks are listed for an average £1.28million– some three times the national average, Rightmove says. It's the only seaside town in the country where asking prices are more than £1million. And it's not hard to see why, with it's proximity to the beach and clear blue water. Plus, your neighbours would be former football manager Harry Redknapp and television chef Rick Stein.
However, homes with the average price tag are unlikely to buy you a house as £1.25million typically only stretches as far as a three-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment or maisonette. Mary Lou Press, of estate agent industry body Propertymark, explains in the past decade prospective buyers have been hunting for different characteristics in their home – and picturesque areas such a seaside spots are now much more appealing, which has driven up their price tag. The pandemic sparked a major race for space in the property market as families flocked out of economic hubs such as London in favour of working from home in coastal destinations.
While the trend has cooled slightly in recent years as workers return to the office, the seaside spots are clearly still in demand. Press says: 'Seaside locations are desirable for many people of all demographics, and with popularity comes heightened house prices, which can price many locals out of the housing market. 'Considering that the average house price of coastal homes has only slightly dipped, and buyer demand has increased, ongoing economic turbulence doesn't seem to have overly affected the market or dented the confidence of buyers of coastal locations.'
But despite the high asking price, the price tags for homes in Sandbanks have fallen by 3 per cent year-on-year. And it's not alone. In fact, across the top 50 most expensive seaside spots, average asking prices fell by 1 per cent – and that's despite demand rising by a healthy 8 per cent. After Sandbanks, it's neighbouring area Canford Cliffs which is the second most costly coastal town. A home in the town will still set buyers back some £974,635, which typically buys a four-bedroom, three-bathroom home.
The area is home to Canford Cliffs beach, which has been awarded the coveted Blue Flag status, the gold standard for beaches. Plus, it is also close to Shore Road beach and Branksome Chine beach. The area is just a 35-minute walk from Sandbanks, ideal for those who want to shave more than £300,000 from their hose purchase but still want to be close to the glamorous Sandbanks. However, Canford Cliffs has also seen a slight sip in house prices with the average price tag falling by some 9 per cent year-on-year.
Taking the bronze spot is village Milford-on-Sea in Hampshire, where colourful beach huts line the shore. Homes here are listed for £728,460. Also in Hampshire, Lymington takes fourth place as property asking prices are £639,316. Classic coastal destinations in holiday hotspots Cornwall and Devon also make the top ten. Budleigh Salterton is the fifth most expensive town with a price tag of £535,761. Then it's popular second home area St. Ives (£507,139), Dartmouth (£500,006) and Sidmouth (£494,811).
Rounding out the top ten is Whitstable in Kent – where asking prices average £469,586 – and Hythe, where homes are listed for £466,898. And if you want a cheaper spot? Head up north, according to Rightmove. Saltcoats – a town on the west coast of North Ayrshire in Scotland and around a 50 minute drive to Glasgow – has been crowned the most affordable seaside resort by Rightmove. Homeowners list their properties here for just £122,208 – some £256,032 lower than the average across the nation.
Plus, prices have soared by some 13 per cent year on year, the highest growth on the list. But despite the low price tag, there's plenty to do in this small town with seaside classics such as bowling, a museum, cafes and a cinema to keep you busy. In the silver spot for the most affordable seaside town is Peterlee in County Durham. Properties here are listed for just £38 more, on average, than those in Saltcoats. At £122,246, asking prices have seen a 6 per cent growth in prices in the last year.
Next is Ashington in Northumberland where asking prices are £135,050 and Bootle in Merseyside, with price tags of £135,208. In fact, not one town in the bottom ten is more than £160,000, making these locations good value for seaside seekers on a tight budget. Grimsby, Blackpool and Fleetwood also make the list of the most affordable seaside spots with listed prices of £142,072, £142,804 and £148,101, respectively. Birkenhead in Merseyside (£149,527), Blyth in Northumberland (£153,487) and Workington in Cumbria (£158,956) finish the top ten cheapest spots.