_Devon’s seasonal waterfront market hotting up

With England winning at penalties in the World Cup and the best summer since 1976 it feels like there is plenty to be positive about at the moment, particularly in the South West, as we take full advantage of everything the area has offer at this time of year.  

Whilst the property market in London traditionally goes quiet over summer as many city folk look forward to their long break, many of our more seasonal markets wake up. This is particularly the case with our waterfront market where the number of serious motivated buyers increases, spurred on by pleasant stays in our coastal and estuary towns which are at their brilliant best at this time of year.

^{Above: Stunning views over the River Dart from this 5-6 bedroom house in Dartmouth. Available through Knight Frank}

At Knight Frank we are fortunate to be launching a number of best in class properties, many of which boast outstanding views over the water which adds a premium to this type of property. We also find that the buyers tend to be quite fluid in terms of their location and are often more focused on the individual house matching specific criteria. This may involve demands such as direct waterfront access, or an outstanding outlook combined with easy access to a village or town such as Salcombe, Dartmouth or many of the other beautiful locations along our estuaries and coastline.

One example of exactly the type of property that tends to pull in purchasers from outside of the area is The Golf House in Kingswear, which boasts outstanding panoramic views across to Dartmouth Naval College and out to sea. On the flipside of this, we are also about to launch the show home at Trenemans, a beautiful and environmentally friendly development in the desirable village of Thurlestone, with eight new build houses which should be available for viewing at the end of July. 

^{Above: The Golf House in Kingswear, Dartmouth. Available through Knight Frank}

What we can say is that Devon possesses some of the most desirable property in the country and we are privileged to be able to market some of the most sought-after houses in the area. Whether your preference is for new build developments, beautiful period homes or outstanding one-off architectural gems, there are some striking houses on the market at the moment and there has probably never been a better time to buy as a purchaser from outside of the area. This is particularly the case with the continued gap in value between the south east and the West Country, low interest rates and a weaker pound. This last point is particularly relevant as we have seen a dramatic increase at the top of the market from ex-pats who are now looking to return to the UK as they take advantage of unusual market conditions.

So, with the World Cup now over and an exciting season ahead of us for the Exeter Chiefs, we are hopeful that the remaining summer months will continue to see good activity. The best properties will always attract quality purchasers, as there is always a flight to quality.  

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.