For sun-seeking property buyers, the Isle of Wight offers the best value in the UK, according to new research from over-50s property specialist Regency Living.
The island ranks as the most affordable sunny destination, with homeowners effectively paying £835 for every hour of average daily sunshine.
The study compared long-term Met Office weather records with current house prices to assess where buyers get the most sunshine for their money.
The Isle of Wight recorded an average of 5 hours and 8 minutes of sunshine per day between 1991 and 2020 – the highest in the UK – against a current average house price of £257,170.
NATIONAL AVERAGE
By comparison, the national average is just 3 hours and 48 minutes of sunshine per day, while the average UK house costs £271,415 – meaning buyers elsewhere are paying around £1,190 for every sunny hour.
Elsewhere in the south, homebuyers face steeper premiums for golden rays. In Kent, where the sun shines for an average of 4 hours and 47 minutes daily, homes are priced at £351,665 – equating to £1,225 per sunny hour. West Sussex ranks highest for sun-per-pound at £1,352 per hour, despite enjoying slightly less sunshine than neighbouring counties.
HOT DAYS
Regency Living also analysed which parts of the UK experience the most “hot” days – those when temperatures exceed 25°C. London leads with 34 such days per year, but buyers are paying a hefty £16,237 per hot day, based on average house prices of £552,073.
Cambridgeshire, Surrey, Essex, and Hertfordshire all follow closely, but with similarly steep costs per hot day – suggesting that consistent warmth remains a premium commodity for buyers.
Tim Simmons, Sales and Marketing Director at Regency Living, says: “In the UK, finding a location that boasts plentiful hot and sunny weather is easier said than done – even in our warmest areas, the weather can be described as changeable at best.
“However, for homebuyers who consider good weather a priority, many of whom are silver downsizers looking for a warm spot in which to enjoy their retirement, there are a number of options on the table.
“The best weather is confined largely to the south, which also happens to have the highest property prices. That’s one of the reasons we’ve seen consistent growth in demand for park homes – they offer quality properties in desirable southern hotspots and are especially attractive to silver downsizers seeking secure, like-minded communities.”
