Sandbanks, the exclusive Dorset peninsula long favoured by celebrities and footballers, has once again been crowned the most expensive seaside location in Great Britain, according to new research from property portal Rightmove.
The average asking price for a home in Sandbanks now stands at £1,282,565 – more than three times the national average of £378,240. It is also the only seaside location in the country where asking prices still top the £1 million mark.
In second place is Canford Cliffs, also in Poole, with an average asking price of £974,635, while Milford-on-Sea in Hampshire comes third at £728,460.
Despite a slight cooling in values – with prices in Sandbanks down 3% and Canford Cliffs down 9% year-on-year – demand remains strong.
BUYER DEMAND
The data highlights the stark contrasts in Britain’s coastal property market, where demand remains resilient across the board, but location continues to be everything.
While the south coast retains its luxury pull, buyers willing to look further north may find bigger homes, better value and still plenty of sea air.
Across the top 50 most expensive coastal areas, buyer demand has risen 8% compared to last year, even as average asking prices fell by 1%.
Top 10 Most Expensive Seaside Locations in Great Britain
- Sandbanks, Poole – £1,282,565 (-3% YoY)
- Canford Cliffs, Poole – £974,635 (-9%)
- Milford-on-Sea, Hampshire – £728,460 (+1%)
- Lymington, Hampshire – £639,316 (-2%)
- Budleigh Salterton, Devon – £535,761 (0%)
- St Ives, Cornwall – £507,139 (-2%)
- Dartmouth, Devon – £500,006 (+4%)
- Sidmouth, Devon – £494,811 (-5%)
- Whitstable, Kent – £469,586 (-2%)
- Hythe, Kent – £466,898 (0%)
MOST AFFORDABLE
At the opposite end of the scale, Saltcoats in Ayrshire, Scotland has emerged as Britain’s most affordable seaside location, with an average asking price of just £122,208 – a staggering £256,000 below the national average.
Saltcoats is also the fastest-growing coastal market in the UK, with asking prices rising 13% year-on-year.
The town, situated on the Firth of Clyde, offers a coastal lifestyle at a fraction of the cost of the south coast’s luxury hotspots.
Other affordable coastal locations include Peterlee in County Durham (£122,246), Ashington in Northumberland (£135,050), and Bootle in Merseyside (£135,208), all offering potential opportunities for first-time buyers and investors alike.
Top 10 Most Affordable Seaside Locations in Great Britain
- Saltcoats, Ayrshire – £122,208 (+13% YoY)
- Peterlee, County Durham – £122,246 (+6%)
- Ashington, Northumberland – £135,050 (+4%)
- Bootle, Merseyside – £135,208 (+3%)
- Grimsby, Lincolnshire – £142,072 (0%)
- Blackpool, Lancashire – £142,804 (0%)
- Fleetwood, Lancashire – £148,101 (+1%)
- Birkenhead, Merseyside – £149,527 (+2%)
- Blyth, Northumberland – £153,487 (+1%)
- Workington, Cumbria – £158,956 (0%)
EXPERT VIEW
Colleen Babcock, property expert at Rightmove, says: “Sandbanks now stands out as the only seaside spot with an average asking price of over the million-pound mark.
“By contrast, lower-priced seaside spots like Saltcoats and Peterlee offer home-movers a sea view at a fraction of the price, with average asking prices over a quarter of a million pounds below the national average.”
SHIFTING TRENDS
Mary Lou-Press, President of NAEA Propertymark, adds: “With huge social and economic changes happening, especially over the past decade, trends have shifted, meaning homeowners are looking for varying characteristics and locations, making rural, seaside and picturesque areas much more appealing.
“In particular, 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.”
