Kent Seaside Towns Top List of Londoners looking to relocate
Kent towns take five spots, including the top three in major relocation report
Ramsgate, Broadstairs, Margate, Whitstable and Deal all come in the top six positions as part of a major report on London homebuyers looking to swap city life for sea air, beachfront lifestyle, property value and a cleaner environment post-pandemic, while retaining an easy commute to the capital.
Other counties to feature highly in the report included Sussex, Essex, Suffolk and Cornwall. The lure of the coast is strong for Londoners and more and more of them are taking advantage of the improved transport links as well as the move to home working being made by many of the large corporate businesses that are having to alter work practices due to the current pandemic.
But it’s the county of Kent and in particular the towns of Ramsgate, Broadstairs and Margate who were ranked 1st, 2nd and 3rd out of the 20 featured in the Property Market-Index report.
The Property Market-Index uses the latest data analysis to track key trends impacting UK homebuyers and this latest report highlights how moving to the coast is set to continue way beyond this pandemic – many coastal areas have had low infection rates, unlike some major cities – as ‘re-locators’ aim to stay close enough to London for work or city life, while enjoying the lifestyle, culture, beaches and bays, sea air as well as better value property on the coast.
On average, a house with a sea view commands a 50% higher price than one in another part of the same location. Many of the towns that are featured in the report have seen their popularity rise in part to the improved train links into London. One example is the HS1 fast train links into Stratford and St Pancras international stations, now just over an hour from the city to the beach.
The majority of the locations featured in the report had another common trait that was high on the must haves for those relocating – a beach. But it was blue flag sandy beaches that helped propel towns up to the top of the list. Market prices for these coastal locations are also forecast to grow more than 20% on average in the next five years, against just 9% for London according to Zoopla and Right Move.
The index rating is scored out of 100 based on the following indices:
– Travel time into London
– Value for money
– Price growth (in the short, medium
and long term)
– Culture and heritage
– Cleanliness and beaches
– Education
For the full report click HERE