
Sell your home fast with our staging tips
Sarah Harley
Life’s a beach – particularly if you move to one of these dreamy homes.
Do you dream of waking up to the smell of salty sea air and the relaxing lapping of waves? Homes within striking distance of the British seaside are appealing to many who crave stunning scenery and re-connecting with nature through water. But did you know they could also improve your wellbeing?
The positive effects of living within striking distance of open water are sometimes called ‘blue health’. According to research by the University of Exeter’s European Centre for Environment & Human Health, people who live within five kilometres (three miles) of the English coast enjoy better health than their inland peers. In the large-scale study, which used census data from 2001, it was found that to reap the benefits of coastal living, you don’t need to dip a toe in the water – even a sea view can reduce heart rates and improve mood. And if you are within 1km (under two-thirds of a mile) of the open ocean, all the better. The study found you’re more likely to take regular exercise while enjoying the changing seaside scenes.
So, if you’re ready to enjoy improved mental health, better sleep and improved fitness (and who isn’t?), now might be the ideal time to start arranging those coastal property viewings.
Do you dream of waking up to the smell of salty sea air and the relaxing lapping of waves? Homes within striking distance of the British seaside are appealing to many who crave stunning scenery and re-connecting with nature through water. But did you know they could also improve your wellbeing?
The positive effects of living within striking distance of open water are sometimes called ‘blue health’. According to research by the University of Exeter’s European Centre for Environment & Human Health, people who live within five kilometres (three miles) of the English coast enjoy better health than their inland peers. In the large-scale study, which used census data from 2001, it was found that to reap the benefits of coastal living, you don’t need to dip a toe in the water – even a sea view can reduce heart rates and improve mood. And if you are within 1km (under two-thirds of a mile) of the open ocean, all the better. The study found you’re more likely to take regular exercise while enjoying the changing seaside scenes.
So, if you’re ready to enjoy improved mental health, better sleep and improved fitness (and who isn’t?), now might be the ideal time to start arranging those coastal property viewings.
Guide price: £2,250,000
Spectacular sea views on your doorstep? Check. Private mooring? Check. A perfectly formed 1.22-acre woodland bursting with seasonal bluebells and wildflowers? Check, check, check!
If this idyllic description is ticking all of your good-life boxes, then you could do a lot worse than to up sticks and take up residence in Turnstones. That’s the name of this lovely five-bedroom, four-bathroom Cornish property, built in 2006 and on sale through Knight Frank.
Not only is this a seaside lovers’ paradise, it’s also great for motoring enthusiasts – so feel free to bring a few cars with you. You’ll need them for whizzing down your private driveway and to amply stock your five-car garage.
And the big-ticket sea view we mention? That would be of Loe beach – a stretch of family-friendly coastline between Falmouth and Truro. So if you can tear yourself away from lounging in one of your three sitting rooms or manicured garden, then all the riches of the south Cornish coast are your oyster.
For a pleasant day’s jaunt, hop in your boat (you have a boathouse to keep it in) and sail off to the local watersports centre and beach café or the Pandora Inn. If you really feel like pushing the boat out, set sail to the beautiful cathedral city of Truro, 5 miles away, and enjoy a spot of boutique shopping.
Guide price: £800,000
If you enjoy the city life, it can be heart wrenching to abandon the addictive buzz, even for the pleasures of living close to the sea.
The solution? Britain’s answer to Barcelona – Brighton.
Regularly voted ‘The Happiest Capital in the UK’ you may not have much elbow room on Brighton beach when summer arrives – but then again, those blue health benefits are for sharing.
Also, your perfectly appointed four-bed chalet bungalow is a stone’s throw away from Saltdean beach in Brighton’s namesake coastal village. It is to this beach we would retreat when the tourists start swarming around the main drag.
The four bedrooms and three bathrooms in your home will come in handy for hosting extended family on those sunny summer days (and evenings). As will the sleek kitchen, which opens into a spacious sitting room. Which brings us to the open-plan bungalow format of this property, which offers easy accessibility, making it the perfect ‘forever’ home.
When you are all frolicked out on the beach, head for the hills. One of Saltdean’s beast features is the network of footpaths giving access to South Downs National Park.
Benefiting from the modern touch of a local interior designer, the immaculately renovated, easy-living property is offered through King & Chasemore.
Guide price: two-bedroom flats from £150,000
Why should you be forced to choose between the seaside and the forest? At the surprisingly pocket-friendly Millendreath Beach Resort, you don’t have to. With this holiday home retreat you can have one foot in the sea and another in 65 acres of woodland – all in the same morning.
And if our pictures don’t have you scurrying to the nearest mortgage adviser, then the other amenities just might. Your two-bed holiday apartment gives you access to a private beach and a coastal path that takes you right into the heart of the quaint village of Looe, Cornwall, in 15 minutes.
Unsurprisingly, these second-phase, limited–release flats are going, fast. Karl Hancock, estate agent at Stratton Creber, reveals that the properties are in high demand with all age ranges, but steadfast buyers tend to be in the 55+ age range. Hancock says: “This resort tends to attract older people who have the disposable income to purchase the properties.
“This is the only park in the vicinity on the coast. There is a nice fish and ship shop called the Coddy Shack up the road and a nice restaurant called Little Barn.”
The properties are only suitable for second-homers, as they cannot be used for residential accommodation full-time. Hancock says that the annual ground rent is £1,025 and there is a service charge of £400 per year.
Guide price: £1,595,000
According to the estate agent’s particulars, this house, known as ‘End of The Road’: “could be simply described as an extraordinary new home that has been designed, built and finished to a level that is rarely seen or appreciated in our region”.
The new contemporary home was designed by local, award-winning architects SMG of Sheringham and features a sleek German ‘Hacker’ kitchen with Miele appliances, three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a vast open-plan living area.
There’s also an outdoor kitchen that makes the most of the breathtaking views, and a utility-cum-boot room that will be handy when you return from those brisk coastal walks.
The property is on sale through Sowersbys, Holt, and is just a stone’s throw from the resort town of Cromer, where you’ll find the National Trust Felbrigg Hall, stunning Victorian pier, the RNLI museum and lots of shops, pubs and restaurants. What’s not to love?
We spoke to Edward Church, head of the Strutt & Parker Canterbury office about the appeal of coastal living. He says: “It’s no secret that many people see retirement, and often the decision to downsize, as a chance to move to the coast – there’s great lure in the promise of fresh sea air, a quieter pace of life, and housing stock which lends itself well to older buyers.
“Our latest Housing Futures survey found that while only 4% of respondents aged over 66 years old currently live on the coast, 20% said they’d like to live by the coast within the next five years – this is something we find each year, which highlights that the appeal of this lifestyle is enduring.
“With this heightened demand, it’s important to approach buying on the coast wisely.”
If your heart’s not set on a particular coastal town or village, I’d suggest looking towards lesser-known spots to get more for your money – if you identify somewhere on the up, you could find yourself a bargain which will only appreciate in value.
It’s also worth considering a home which isn’t directly on the beachfront; look just a couple of streets back and again, you won’t pay the front row premiums but will still have the sea on your doorstep – plus, you’ll likely be slightly more protected from the elements, which is an important factor to consider in coastal property.
It’s easy to get drawn to the coastal lifestyle while you’re on a summer holiday in the UK. Think you’ve found somewhere you love? Make sure you go back when it’s raining!
Lastly, consider whether the area has all the amenities that you need for everyday living – shops, restaurants, doctors and useful transport links. You may find that some seaside locations are lacking.
Written by Joy Archer
Published: Updated:
Joy Archer is an Editor for Home Passions at Saga Exceptional. Always the intrepid adventurer, Joy arrived in London with little more than a backpack and a dream to live a gorgeous life. This plan first took her to the City of London where she applied her professional journalism qualification to creating digital and print publications for Thomson Reuters.
Yet her passion for interior design could not be ignored. After a two-year bohemian adventure in New York to feed her creative senses, Joy returned to London and enrolled at top interior design school, KLC. She went on to work on a dizzying array of design projects for high-profile clientele served by top studios, including Godrich Design Collective, Louise Jones, Tala Fustok and Dragons of Walton Street.
Joy has also completed a wide array of solo residential and commercial projects in the UK and internationally – House and Garden named her as one of their favourite traditional interior designers and her recent work has featured in 25 Beautiful Homes and on NBC’s Open House TV show.
Never straying far from her pen, Joy’s recent journalism includes pieces highlighting the ins and outs of the evolution of Forbes Monaco; interviews with the creme of social media superstars; intimate insights from Ukrainian political activists and developments in sustainability within built spaces.
Having a geeky obsession with earning expert status on every aspect of construction, Joy’s idea of a good time is pottering about in builder’s yards – she has been known to go to unheard-of lengths to get her hands on particularly fetching samples of marble.