A home by the sea is the ultimate dream for many of us. During the pandemic, buyers sought to make this a reality and the market went wild, says Josephine Ashby of JB Estates in Cornwall.
“Buyers didn’t stop long to think and we saw knee-jerk purchases. Homeowners, meanwhile, who were about to sell instead held on to their homes and rented them out – squeezing market stock. As a result, we saw property prices rise around 25pc in north Cornwall,” she says.
A few years on and buyers wince at such high prices. Waterfront homes have fallen in value by 4pc in the past year, according to Knight Frank.
But there are long-established seaside hotspots where trophy properties still sell at a huge premium. Recently, Ashby had three buyers vying for a six-bedroom home on the “frontline” in Rock, Cornwall. It sold for above the asking price, at around £4.5m.
New research from Savills has identified the most upmarket coastal villages, based on house prices and the number of sales over £1m in the past five years. The most expensive coastal village is West Itchenor in West Sussex. In the past five years, more than half of properties sold within a 1km radius were priced at more than £1m.
These seaside hotspots don’t just have pricey property, breathtaking coastlines and the views to match, but also a real community and great places to hang out.
Once a sleepy surfing haven, the popularity of Polzeath has exploded over the past 20 years with A-list residents and visitors piling in. Coldplay’s Chris Martin has a place nearby and there are rumours Gwyneth Paltrow is house hunting in the village too. Maybe it all started with Prince William’s stag do, when he was spotted in the surf.
Eva and Jeremy Davies have lived in Polzeath for 12 years and have holidayed in Cornwall for half a century. The couple are behind a collection of new timber eco cabins overlooking the sea called Koto at the Point.
Deeply entrenched in the community, their favourite local haunts are Daymer Beach and Baby Bay for swimming and Polzeath beach for surfing. They head up to the Rumps (the headland’s twin peaks) for walks.
Ashby says buyers in this part of Cornwall buy with their hearts and stomachs. “People plan their lifestyle here around outdoor exercise and eating.”
There’s Paul Ainsworth At No6 in Padstow (via the ferry), and The Mariners pub in Rock. More relaxed eateries include The Cracking Crab, overlooking Polzeath beach, and there’s the Cowshed Spa.
You may still be able to pick up a (relative) bargain. Ed Clarkson, of the buying agent Property Vision, says that “Polzeath has become a buyers’ market”.
Prices and properties range widely – a three-bedroom terraced house in the residential area of New Polzeath will cost close to £800,000, while at the top end of the market, a contemporary five-bedroom house with views over the bay will fetch more than £3m.
Posh points for… its long-standing connection with Prince William and Harry, who summered in Rock and surfed at Polzeath.
Between Padstow and Newquay, Mawgan Porth used to be a quiet scattering of homes overlooking a wide sandy bay towards the cliff face on the other side. In the 1990s, the popular child-friendly hotel Bedruthan Steps (now known as Bedruthan Hotel) was a draw.
Much has changed over the past 10 years. The same family opened the Scarlet boutique hotel and spa for adults, putting the village on the map for the more discerning.
This, and the fact that the sloping cliff face provides space for large residential plots, means ultra-wealthy buyers have settled there.
“There’s been a mini explosion of newly built super high-end projects. We have a mix of clients including finance professionals, celebrities and sports stars,” says Clarkson. Cate Blanchett is extending her new-build eco home nearby.
There is fine dining and wine tasting at the Scarlet, and it is a 56-minute walk to Watergate Bay Hotel along the South West Coast Path for lunch, cocktails and oysters at Zacry’s – Stanley Tucci is often spied here.
The frontline properties command multi-million-pound prices. More “modest” homes are available in the village, but buyers will still pay close to £900,000 for a big bungalow.
Posh points for… its contemporary, sprawling, multi-million pound self-build projects which sit proudly on the clifftops.
Tucked at the head of a tidal creek connected to the Kingsbridge estuary, a 30-minute drive around to Salcombe, is the village of South Pool. It comprises stone and thatched cottages with a backdrop of rolling fields, and there is a buzzing community all year round with the Easter Duck Race and the annual nativity (the animals are provided by the local farms).
Millbrook Inn is the hub of the village with food sourced from nearby Fowlescombe Farm.
Walking down the creek, you emerge from tree tunnels on to a string of beaches. There are the golden shores of East Portlemouth and Mill Bay, and beyond that the coastal path bends round to the sandy cove at Gara Rock.
Despite being on the opposite side of the water to Salcombe Harbour, this is still sailing country and the creek is teeming with boats all year round. Salcombe and Kingsbridge are connected by a ferry.
Peter and Susan Jones moved to the village 11 years ago. “We came down to visit the family for a weekend and immediately fell in love with the area. Before we’d even left the B&B the next morning, we had inquired if there were any properties for sale,” says Peter.
They moved from the New Forest and ended up staying for the community feel.
“There’s a church and a really good pub, as well as the village hall that hosts jazz BBQs. We head to Kingsbridge quite often to the farmers’ market and the agricultural show in September.”
He has noticed a change – more families have made South Pool their permanent base, rather than simply being a holiday home hotspot like its neighbours.
The Joneses are selling their sprawling 5,000sq ft property, with a swimming pool and views across Kingsbridge Estuary and Frogmore Creek, to move back to the New Forest and be closer to their grandchildren. It is on the market with Strutt & Parker for £1.75m.
“Properties in South Pool rarely come to the market and when they do, there is much demand. A cottage sold recently had multiple offers and achieved 7pc above guide price,” says Harriet George of the eponymous estate agent.
She suggests Kingsbridge is a more affordable alternative with a wider range of housing stock.
Posh points for… Millbrook Inn’s fair game night – a three-course meal celebrating the arrival of game season, and the village’s proximity to Salcombe.
The latest Knight Frank research shows the waterside properties with the highest premium are on estuaries (a premium of 75pc), compared to lakes and lochs (71pc), coastal (66pc), harbour (42pc) and riverside (22pc). West Itchenor ticks a lot of these boxes. It is on an estuary, has a harbour, and is a very short sail to the sea.
Life in this pretty village revolves around sailing, the sailing club and the local pub the Ship Inn – which runs events such as moules frites and fizz night, serving local sparkling wine.
The waterways are busy here all year round. “People are now spending more than just the weekend and holidays in their second home,” says Hamish Humfrey of Knight Frank.
Across the estuary is Bosham, another historic, chocolate-box village, where there are usually more homes available to buy. There have been only 39 sales in West Itchenor over the past five years but more than 200 in Bosham, which has period houses and thatched cottages lining the water. There’s a mythical vibe here too. At high tide, the waters lap up Shore Road and some historical references put King Canute here when he commanded the water to recede.
On the high street is the family-run harbourside pub, the Anchor Bleu, dating back to 1741.
Posh points for… evening sailing, followed by supper at Itchenor Sailing Club.
On New Year’s Day, the traffic snarls up all the way back to Goodwood and the South Downs, with day trippers and kite surfers off to West Wittering to blow the cobwebs away. The vast beach is bordered with sand dunes and multi-coloured beach huts, and looks out to the Isle of Wight and across to Portsmouth.
The West Wittering Estate runs the car park (best to book in advance) and there’s a cafe and coffee kiosk. The Lamb Inn’s reputation stretches across the county and is also a must-book, with a beer garden, play area and plenty of space in the car park for campervans laden with surfboards.
There are large, detached houses in the Roman Landing Estate, a creekside enclave set back from the beach. Homes here range between £1.75m and £4m, come up rarely and fly off the market when they do, but there is more variety of stock in the village itself, ranging from thatched cottages to bungalows and semi-detached family homes. There is a strip of frontline trophy beach houses with some self-build projects under way.
Wealthy families relocating have long bought in the village, looking to recreate their childhood memories – and because membership to the sailing club comes with the property.
“Historically, a high percentage of buyers here would have been searching for second homes, but we’ve seen a shift in working patterns. Now most people only commute two or three times a week, which makes the 90-minute train from nearby Havant or slightly longer from Chichester, much more achievable,” says Paul Machell of Strutt & Parker.
The nearest independent secondary schools include the renowned Seaford College and Portsmouth Grammar School.
“Many buyers dream of owning a property on the waterfront as they often come with uninterrupted views of the Solent and direct access to the beach. When they come up, they are snapped up quickly for £5m upwards. As a result, buyers look inland. More price conscious buyers head into the village itself where a smaller semi-detached home is around £500,000.”
Posh points for… its thatched cottages, a burger and a cocktail sitting in a beach hut at The Wittering restaurant.
Abersoch is the “Salcombe of the north”, according to Martin Lewthwaite, of Beresford Adams, an estate agent. This affluent village-cum-seaside resort is on the east-facing south coast of the Llŷn Peninsula, on the west coast of North Wales, with sandy beaches, scenic walks, and Snowdonia as the backdrop.
It is well-known for its sailing waters, golf courses, and ultra marathons and triathlons, given its challenging terrain. In 2021, Wayne Rooney and his family were reported to have stayed at The Warren, an upmarket resort of beach chalets with five-star facilities, known locally as the “millionaires’ caravan park”.
Back in the heart of the village, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution is a big part of the community, hosting events such as the duck race, and there’s the Abersoch Regatta and the New Year’s Day dip.
A new 42-room hotel is under construction, while the well-to-do Porth Tocyn hotel and restaurant is down the road.
“During the pandemic, the market became very busy as people went in search of a better quality of life. In 2022, it stagnated as interest rates rocketed and the confidence to move fell away,” Lewthwaite explains. But it is getting busy again, he says, and the proportion of full-time residents is growing.
There are politics at play in Abersoch, with the local authority increasing council tax by 250pc for second homeowners, plus implementing changes that force homeowners to obtain planning permission to turn a residential property into a holiday let or second home.
Large, family homes on the frontline, with uninterrupted views of the water, will fetch between £1.5m and £2m.
Posh points for… having the most expensive street in Wales, according to a Halifax report last year.
The property market along the rugged Northumberland coastline is becoming a bit like Cornwall, according to Cherylle Millard-Dawe, who runs Propology, an estate agent that specialises in eco homes. The vast beaches, pretty villages and “Famous Five vibes” attracted second home owners and tourists in their droves following the pandemic.
“The market has calmed a bit now, prices have fallen and properties are sticking around longer,” says Millard-Dawe.
She describes Alnmouth as “breathtaking”. Along with Bamburgh – famous for its castle on the beach that can be spied from the train on the East Coast Mainline – it has the oldest properties in the area.
Pastel-coloured houses line the River Aln as it flows out to meet the sea. There are low-slung traditional pubs along the high street and monochrome timber-framed buildings between the stone ones.
Alnmouth has Britain’s fourth-oldest golf course, established in 1869 in Foxton Bay with views across to Coquet Island and the North Sea.
There are also plenty of places to eat and drink. “The Red Lion pub serves burgers in a brioche bun – which is fancy for us – as well as wood-fired pizzas,” says Millard-Dawe. She recommends the deli and cafe Scott’s of Alnmouth, which offers takeaway coffees and pastries for the beach as well as a wide selection of gin and other gourmet products.
The Old School Gallery has art exhibitions, workshops, a gift shop and also serves pizza and coffee.
Posh points for… the a la carte menu at The Whittling House restaurant.
Aberlady Bay is Britain’s oldest nature reserve, designated in 1952. This vast sandy beach is backed by dunes, mud flats and salt marshes and is home to over 550 species of plants, wading birds, and – in the summer – 30,000 pink-footed geese.
Due to its proximity to Edinburgh – it is only 35 minutes in the car or 20 minutes on the train to neighbouring Longniddry – the residents are less transient than the geese, and it is not dominated by holiday homes.
“This place is a commuters’ dream, offering the best of both worlds,” says Strutt & Parker’s Annabel Blackett. “The stretch of coast from Aberlady to North Berwick is a real honeypot for buyers, attracting everyone from young families to retirees. Plenty of people never move from this corner of Scotland.”
There’s a wide variety of housing stock in the village – ranging from period properties that overlook the church and bowls club, with the larger trophy homes in Craigielaw Park next to the golf course.
On the main street through the village, five and six-bedroom period houses will sell for close to £900,000. On the same thoroughfare is the former Ducks Inn, now known as The Leddie, a boutique hotel and restaurant. This adds to the collection of warm and welcoming establishments in the area, along with Tom Kitchin’s The Bonnie Badger nearby.
Posh points for… completing 18 holes at the Craigielaw course and lunch at the golf club restaurant overlooking the sea.
Walberswick is “a wonderful, unpretentious coastal village with beautiful sandy beaches,” according to Alexander McNab of Savills. The village, which is strongly associated with artists – including Philip Wilson Steer, Charles Rennie Mackintosh and Lucian Freud – is on the other side of the River Blythe from Southwold and within the Suffolk Coast National Nature Reserve.
This picturesque and unspoilt village is beautiful not only due to its location on the water, but also because of its arts and crafts housing stock. The Anchor pub and restaurant is recommended in the Good Food Guide. In an arts and crafts building, and in an acre of gardens overlooking the dunes and the beach huts, it serves oysters, and bread is freshly baked every morning and sold over the bar. Locals head to the Black Dog Deli for coffee. More amenities are in Southwold via the little ferry.
“Walberswick is very popular with London buyers, especially in the creative industries, but also has a popular local following with buyers from Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire and Essex. People don’t tend to leave the village,” says McNab. “While it is a second home location and attracts tourists, there are plenty of houses used as principal residences and there is a strong local community all year round,” he adds.
Sea swimming is big here too.
Posh points for… the award-winning The Anchor pub, run by Mark and Sophie Dorber, who relocated from the White Horse in Parsons Green, Fulham – also known as the Sloaney Pony.
There is plenty of competition along this golden stretch of Norfolk for the poshest village. The most fashionable locations among second home owners from London are Brancaster and Burnham Market, with restaurants NoTwenty9 and Socius. However, the research shows that house prices are higher in Burnham Overy Staithe due to a smaller supply of homes for sale.
“Burnham Overy Staithe is somewhere that is so overlooked,” says Tom Goodley of Strutt & Parker. “For many, it’s an accidental discovery as they are driving through the village on the way to its better known neighbours – such as Brancaster, Holkham or Burnham Market. For those fortunate to have come across it, this works in their favour, as the village and its surrounds are not overpopulated and the beaches are more peaceful.” Locals can moor a small boat in the quiet quay.
Despite being small, the village is well-served by amenities. The Boathouse is a community hub and a popular spot for lunch and coffee, taking in the views of the water. The local pub is called The Hero, there’s a coffee shop called the Norfolk Coffee Pedlar. There are no other properties on the open market in the village; the nearest trophy homes are on sale in Burnham Market.
Posh points for… its proximity to Burnham Market, known as Chelsea-on-Sea, and Sandringham – the private country retreat of King Charles and Queen Camilla.
