Find your next home in Dorset and South Somerset

Your local estate agents – with a world of experience

With an office dedicated to Dorset and South Somerset, we provide trusted property advice across the region, covering sought-after market towns, rural villages, and coastal retreats. Our team combines in-depth local knowledge with Knight Frank’s global reach, helping clients buy and sell property with confidence and calm.

From characterful cottages and period farmhouses to contemporary homes and country estates, we deal with best-in-class residential property for sale in Shaftesbury, Gillingham, Bridport, Beaminster and beyond. Based out of our office in the heart of Sherborne – but accessing a wider pool of expert services – we offer tailored property consultancy including valuations, mortgages and finance, farms and estates, and rural consultancy.

Accessibility information

If you, or anyone with you requires special accommodations due to a disability – including wheelchair access – please let us know and we'll be happy to help.

Buying property in Dorset & South Somersettoggle-icon

The Dorset and South Somerset property market offers an exceptional range of homes, catering to diverse lifestyles. Whether you are seeking a period townhouse in Sherborne, a coastal retreat along the Jurassic Coast, or a country estate in the Blackmore Vale, the region has something for everyone. Dorset’s picturesque villages, such as Milton Abbas and Abbotsbury, are highly desirable for their historic charm and rural tranquillity, while towns like Bridport and Dorchester offer a balance of local culture and amenities. South Somerset’s historic market towns, including Crewkerne and Castle Cary, provide excellent transport links to London, making them ideal for commuters looking for a countryside lifestyle. Our expert team will guide you through every step of the buying process, helping you find the perfect property while offering insights into local amenities, schools and market trends.

Selling property in Dorset & South Somersettoggle-icon

There are many reasons why choosing us as your agents will give you the edge when you sell. With our ‘cottages to castles’ motto and over 125 years of experience, our team has expert knowledge of rural property markets. We can tap into a wide pool of willing buyers – from across the UK and overseas – so drop us a line at our Sherborne office, and we’ll get to work securing top offers for your home. Our service includes professional photography, bespoke marketing campaigns and negotiations – all ensuring your sale proceeds with clarity, efficiency and speed.

Dorset & South Somerset in 60 secondstoggle-icon

Blessed with characterful towns and villages, vibrant coastal communities, chic hotels, garden estates and restaurants, and buffeted with iconic landscapes – including England's first natural World Heritage Site, the 95-mile long Jurassic Coast – this is country living at its finest. Dorset offers breathtaking scenery, from the rugged cliffs of Lulworth Cove to the sweeping sandy beaches of Studland Bay. The county’s rolling countryside is dotted with charming villages, thatched cottages, and traditional pubs, making it a quintessentially English retreat. South Somerset, known for its gentler hills and rich agricultural heritage, is home to market towns including Yeovil and Ilminster. Sherborne, in particular, is renowned for its historic abbey, prestigious schools, and beautiful medieval architecture. The region is also well-connected, with mainline rail services to London Waterloo from Gillingham, Castle Cary, and Sherborne. Outdoor enthusiasts will appreciate the variety of activities available, from walking and cycling in the Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, to sailing and watersports along the stunning coastline. Cultural highlights include the annual Dorset County Show, literary festivals, and historic attractions such as Montacute House and Corfe Castle. With a strong sense of community, outstanding schools, and an excellent quality of life, Dorset and South Somerset remain among the most coveted locations for families, retirees, and second-home buyers alike.

Meet our Sherborne team

Our dedicated estate agency team in Dorset & South Somerset combines deep local expertise with Knight Frank’s global reach to provide exceptional service. Get it touch to start your property journey today.

Areas we cover

From Dorset’s stunning Jurassic Coast to the picturesque villages of South Somerset, we've got you covered.

Trusted by buyers and sellers

2 months ago
Nicola Brown

We had a great experience buying our home through Knight Frank. Simon and Roberta were both lovely—friendly, professional, helpful, and easy to deal with throughout the whole process. Everything was handled smoothly, and we always felt well-informed. We’d happily recommend them!

2 months ago
Henry Alexander

Simon and Gabrielle Barker along with Roberta Caines were friendly, efficient and knowledgeable for the length of time it took to sell our cottage. Very many thanks for their time, patience and expertise. I would thoroughly recommend them. Until the next time !

4 months ago
Annabel Lewis (Bel)

We recently purchased through Knight Frank Sherborne and we were delighted with their role in helping us secure our delightful home. They were always responsive and were able to act efficiently on our behalf when there were last minute hiccups! Very professional company and we’d like to say thank you to you all!

3 years ago
Gill Desoutter

In summary - Knight Frank is a professional company, offering a professional service, run by a professional team. I would recommend them without hesitation. Definitely worthy of a 5* rating. Our huge thanks to all involved for getting us over the line! Selling your home can be a stressful experience not to mention costly and therefore we wanted the most professional team to help support us through this process. Knight Frank have dedicated people / a team for each area of the sale process, from pulling the property information together, to ensuring you are happy with everything before your property goes live on line. They inform you of viewings and have their own team of people who guide potential purchasers around your property. These people are throughly briefed beforehand and are able to answer most of the purchaser's questions. Once you receive an offer on your property, the next group of professionals play they part in the process. At this stage, our point of contact was Giselle who was an absolute genius in keeping everything ticking along, even when there was a blip with the buyer's solicitor, Giselle was there to keep everything moving forward. The whole team is headed up by Luke Pender-Cudlip, a consummate professional, who has a vast knowledge and experience in this field, and someone you can depend on to get the job done. The communication throughout was excellent via both email and telephone calls so we were kept fully up to speed of how the transaction was progressing throughout. Thanks team."

3 years ago
M Godfrey

Great service every step of the way making the process as easy as possible.

3 years ago
Cleo Dickson

After 20 years in the house having bought it from KF all those years ago my natural choice was to go back to them to sell. Luke Simon Michelle and the Team at Sherborne were brilliant from start to finish plus input from Hamish in the London office on getting it to market. In the end the Sherborne office secured the sale and were just brilliant from start to finish and I would definitely use them again without a doubt.

2 months ago
Nicola Brown

We had a great experience buying our home through Knight Frank. Simon and Roberta were both lovely—friendly, professional, helpful, and easy to deal with throughout the whole process. Everything was handled smoothly, and we always felt well-informed. We’d happily recommend them!

2 months ago
Henry Alexander

Simon and Gabrielle Barker along with Roberta Caines were friendly, efficient and knowledgeable for the length of time it took to sell our cottage. Very many thanks for their time, patience and expertise. I would thoroughly recommend them. Until the next time !

4 months ago
Annabel Lewis (Bel)

We recently purchased through Knight Frank Sherborne and we were delighted with their role in helping us secure our delightful home. They were always responsive and were able to act efficiently on our behalf when there were last minute hiccups! Very professional company and we’d like to say thank you to you all!

3 years ago
Gill Desoutter

In summary - Knight Frank is a professional company, offering a professional service, run by a professional team. I would recommend them without hesitation. Definitely worthy of a 5* rating. Our huge thanks to all involved for getting us over the line! Selling your home can be a stressful experience not to mention costly and therefore we wanted the most professional team to help support us through this process. Knight Frank have dedicated people / a team for each area of the sale process, from pulling the property information together, to ensuring you are happy with everything before your property goes live on line. They inform you of viewings and have their own team of people who guide potential purchasers around your property. These people are throughly briefed beforehand and are able to answer most of the purchaser's questions. Once you receive an offer on your property, the next group of professionals play they part in the process. At this stage, our point of contact was Giselle who was an absolute genius in keeping everything ticking along, even when there was a blip with the buyer's solicitor, Giselle was there to keep everything moving forward. The whole team is headed up by Luke Pender-Cudlip, a consummate professional, who has a vast knowledge and experience in this field, and someone you can depend on to get the job done. The communication throughout was excellent via both email and telephone calls so we were kept fully up to speed of how the transaction was progressing throughout. Thanks team."

3 years ago
M Godfrey

Great service every step of the way making the process as easy as possible.

3 years ago
Cleo Dickson

After 20 years in the house having bought it from KF all those years ago my natural choice was to go back to them to sell. Luke Simon Michelle and the Team at Sherborne were brilliant from start to finish plus input from Hamish in the London office on getting it to market. In the end the Sherborne office secured the sale and were just brilliant from start to finish and I would definitely use them again without a doubt.

3 years ago
Sarah Wright

We recently bought a wonderful house through Knight Frank Sherborne and found everyone to be highly organised and efficient, making the whole process simple and stress-free.

3 years ago
Gavin Barker

We are coming to the final stages of purchasing our house with Knight Frank, Sherborne. Luke and his team were very accommodating, helpful and professional throughout the last 6 months. In particular, I would like to thank Giselle who worked so efficiently between all the various stakeholders, keeping communication channels open, accelerating and facilitating the whole process.

3 years ago
Neil Powers

From start to finish Luke and his team in Sherborne, and Giselle in Bristol did a fantastic job selling my father's house. A first class job from a professional and friendly team. Thank you once again for making the sale easy for us. We wouldn't hesitate to use Knight Frank again.

3 years ago
james harris

We recently sold our family home through KF Sherborne, and were extremely happy with their service and support throughout the process. Hamish managed the proceedings extremely professionally and diligently, keeping our buyers onside throughout what became an increasingly negative economic outlook.

4 years ago
Gillies O'Bryan-Tear

Excellent service from start to finish, and as usual Knight Frank acted honourably and fairly in the presence of competing bids. This is important because it’s not always the case with all agents.

4 years ago
Hayley Kinlan

I switched to Knight Frank from another estate agent. Whilst this attracted a higher rate of commission, the level of service, attention to detail, communication and quality of interaction of all the team at the Sherborne office was worth every penny. I am particularly grateful to Luke Pender-Cudlip who provided exactly the required level of support throughout the process. This was extremely important to me and Luke steered me though the entire journey in a sensitive and friendly way securing an excellent sale. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the team to anyone looking to sell their property.

4 years ago
Greg Beedle

A friend recommended Luke at the Sherborne office, and he was excellent. Highly professional, friendly and responsive, his support was knowledgeable and wise.

4 years ago
Rupert Garton

Luke and the Sherborne team have looked after us impeccably, both 'on the other side' in acting for the seller of the house we are buying, and in acting for us in the house we are selling. Professional, responsive, proactive and utterly trustworthy. Couldn't ask for any more. Will upgrade to six stars when they find us a buyer in the New Year...

4 years ago
Anne O'Reilly

A highly professional team who really know the local market. They are helpful throughout the experience. Don’t be tempted to use cheaper services Knight Frank are worth the investment if selling and invaluable as a buyer.

Your questions, answered

What are the best areas to buy property in Dorset and South Somerset?toggle-icon

Dorset’s coastal locations, such as Sandbanks – featuring some of the most expensive real estate in the UK outside London – Canford Cliffs, and Lyme Regis attract buyers seeking waterfront properties and stunning views. In South Somerset, sought-after areas include Bruton, known for its culture, and Sherborne, with its outstanding schools. The surrounding countryside, including the Blackmore Vale, also offers idyllic rural settings.

How much does a house cost in Dorset and South Somerset?toggle-icon

Average property prices in Dorset and South Somerset rose by 2.3% in the year to September 2024, and have climbed 38.7% over the last five years, according to Knight Frank data. Prices vary significantly by location, with premium homes in Sandbanks and Sherborne commanding some of the highest values.

Is Dorset and South Somerset a good place for property investment?toggle-icon

Yes, both Dorset and South Somerset continue to attract investors in force due to sustained demand for second homes, holiday lets, and family residences. With their timeless views, coastal and countryside properties remain particularly popular, with ongoing infrastructure improvements enhancing the region's long-term appeal.

What are the most desirable areas for family homes in Dorset and South Somerset?toggle-icon

For families, towns like Poundbury, Wimborne, and Sherborne offer excellent schools, communities, and amenities. In South Somerset, villages like Castle Cary and Somerton provide a pleasant balance of rural charm and accessibility to urban centres.

How long does it take to sell a house in Dorset and South Somerset?toggle-icon

On average, selling a property in Dorset and South Somerset takes between 8 and 14 weeks, but this varies widely from place to place. Speak to a knowledgeable local estate agent to get a clearer picture.

How can I get a house valuation in Dorset and South Somerset?toggle-icon

Knight Frank offers expert property valuations based on transaction trends and the latest market data. Contact our Dorset and South Somerset team for a tailored valuation of your home.