_Devon and West Somerset markets no longer a well-kept secret
At the time of writing, there is a bright orange orb in the sky that is putting a spring in the step of most Devonians and banishing the remnants of winter from our gardens and surrounding countryside. From my narrow minded view of the world and that of a rural property market perspective, the advent of better weather and the arrival of the leaf on the tree is the traditional starting gun for the rural property market.
Again, at the time of writing, there is no election or referendum planned in the middle of our season and we should, therefore, have an uninterrupted run at the year for the first time since 2014! There is so much on offer down here and the wider world is becoming more aware of how well-connected the West Country is via the train, motorway and regional airport network - add in some decent weather and it points to a positive rural market this year.
Within the county, properties have been trading well already this year and interestingly the prime market has been particularly active when compared to 2017. There are probably a host of reasons for this, but the net result is again positive for the market and the region as a whole.
Above: Woolacombe's stunning beach, home to the Byron apartments available through Knight Frank.
People often ask about the average profile of our buyers and the simple answer is that there isn’t one. People move to or move within the region for a host of different reasons and the very different areas within my sphere of Devon and West Somerset offer so many different things that it is hard to generalise. Lifestyle, work, countryside, schooling, communications, transport and the actual properties themselves would be among the most common. Our job is to present our properties to the widest possible market, whether it be the immediate locality, nationwide or internationally. We are all immensely proud of our corner of England, and rightly so – there is so much on offer down here that it’s not hard to persuade others to come and join us!
One area that is undergoing major transformation is Woolacombe and of particular note are the new high-specification apartments that we are offering within the Byron Development. Two to four bedroom apartments are available, each with private underground parking and walking distance from one of the UK’s finest beaches. Woolacombe born international restauranteur and chef Graham Brundle has returned to the town to open up his own restaurant and bar within the development and offer dining facilities to apartment owners throughout the year. With private leisure facilities including an indoor pool, 24 hour concierge service and an in-house rental service to manage and let the apartments, if required, they really do offer something new and interesting in a very special part of the region.
Above: Sea views from the bedroom of the Byron development in Woolacombe. Available through Knight Frank
Mark Proctor is the Head of Knight Frank's Exeter office. Search for properties in Exeter or speak to a member of the team about selling or buying property in the area.