Never has a retreat to the British seaside seemed so appealing as when the temperature soars to 30 plus degrees. We would give anything to be building sandcastles and slurping down a 99 than sat in the sweltering city heat.
Related: Spot the next seaside property hotspot with these top tips
However, the lure of a bedroom with a sea view has begun attracting people to seaside towns in the UK all year round. In a recent study, Rightmove crowned St.Ives as the most in-demand seaside town.
The town is already popular with surfers who have swapped a garden for the golden sandy beaches. The average asking price in the down is £396,619 and asking prices in the lovely coastal town have risen by 29 per cent since 2014.
'What's great about this town is that people move here because they want to, because they need to,' says Richard Marris, a negotiator at Miller Countrywide Estate Agents in St. Ives. 'We've got a thriving shopping area and fantastic beaches which are very popular with surfers. The harbour is beautiful, and we have the Tate St Ives, so we have that sense of culture as well.'
Cromer came in second after St. Ives where the average asking price was £223,393. Prices had risen by 26 per cent in the last five years. While the Southern seaside town of Cowes on, home to the worlds oldest regatta, came in as the third most popular coastal town in the UK.
Rightmove found that the average asking price for a home near the pebble beaches of Cowes was higher than in Cromer at £249,219. However, prices had only risen by 6 per cent in the last five years.
Seaside towns in south England dominated the list of the top ten most popular seaside towns in the UK. Cornwall proved to be a hotspot for in-demand seaside towns with Penzance and Newquay making the list.
However, despite the extensive northern coast, only one northern seaside town made the list. Whitby came in at number six as the most in-demand seaside town.
Take a peek at the full top ten most popular seaside towns in the UK for 2019.
1. St.Ives
2. Cromer
3. Cowes
4. Penzance
5. Newhaven
6. Whitby
7. Shoreham-by-Sea
8. Newquay
9. Sandown
10. Teignmouth
'There is a strong southern bias as the sea is perhaps, in some people's minds, enjoyed more with better weather,' says Miles Shipside, Rightmove's property expert.
'Other amenities and transport links are important elements too, plus a community spirit. Retirees will be looking for all of these features, so it's no surprise this list includes well-known locations that cater to their needs. while some may consider a move abroad to fulfil their retirement dream, this research shows the familiarity of our coastline has enduring appeal,' he adds.
Related: The stunning seaside towns where you can grab a home for under £100,000 revealed
Did your favourite sandy beach make the list?
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