Fresh, salty air. The evocative screech of seagulls. Ice cream on every corner. There’s no place quite like the Great British seaside. And if you wanted to make a move to the coast? Happily, Halifax, the bank, has just revealed the cheapest – and most expensive – locations to nab a property by the sea.
The majority of the most affordable spots are in Scotland, with Greenock in Inverclyde taking the top spot. The only location in England to make the ‘cheap list’ is Newbiggin-by-the-Sea in Northumberland.
Meanwhile, the list of expensive seaside towns is dominated by the South West, with seven entrants. The spenniest overall was Salcombe in Devon, with an extraordinary average house price of £1,244,025.
Of the 209 locations included in the study, the cheapest seaside towns to buy a home are:
- Greenock, Inverclyde, Scotland: £97,608
- Girvan, Ayrshire, Scotland: £105,410
- Millport, Ayrshire, Scotland: £111,381
- Invergordon, Ross and Cromarty, Scotland: £114,962
- Saltcoats, Ayrshire, Scotland: £116,414
- Newbiggin-by-the-Sea, Northumberland, North East: £117,663
- Stranraer, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland: £117,884
- Wick, Caithness, Scotland: £124,857
- Thurso, Caithness, Scotland: £126,716
- Campbeltown, Argyll and Bute, Scotland: £129,348
The priciest coastal locations are:
- Salcombe, Devon: £1,244,025
- Sandbanks, Dorset: £952,692
- Aldeburgh, Suffolk: £794,492
- Padstow, Cornwall: £790,847
- Lymington, Hampshire: £663,474
- Yarmouth, Isle of Wight: £611,816
- Dartmouth, Devon: £567,985
- Kingsbridge, Devon: £556,659
- Wadebridge, Cornwall: £548,669
- Budleigh Salterton, Devon: £537,681
Kim Kinnaird, mortgages director at Halifax, said: ‘For many, owning a home by the sea is an aspiration, with coastal living offering beach walks, clean air and other health benefits. But this comes at a price in many locations and Britain’s most expensive seaside spot, Salcombe in Devon, will set buyers back over £1.2 million on average.
‘When we delve deeper into the cost of Britain’s seaside homes, it’s clear that there is a broad spectrum in house prices. While million-pound properties are abundant in the South West of England, in contrast, homes in Greenock in Scotland are valued on average at less than £100,000.
‘Second-home ownership undoubtedly plays a role in driving up prices in the most desirable locations.’
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