UK seaside resort so 'underrated' that homes sell in days as they are ‘so cheap'

07 January 2024 , 14:48

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Many of those buyers were from Bristol, who sought bigger homes but couldn’t afford to do so in the city (Image: Getty Images)

An underrated UK seaside town has seen a boom in people moving into the area in the past few years as people rushed to leave the city and commute in instead.

With its golden beaches and top transport links, Weston-super-Mare has surprised people, with local estate agents saying demand for properties had outstripped supply after the pandemic.. Many of those buyers were from Bristol, who sought bigger homes but couldn’t afford to do so in the city.

Average prices in the town are about £265,000 - well below both the national average of £290,000 and Bristol’s average of £386,000. Local estate agent Jamie Harris said people can get “a lot more for their money in Weston”, adding it is an “easy commute into Bristol”.

However, he said things were getting harder for first time buyers, explaining the cost of living crisis was making it harder to save for a deposit, adding: “We are seeing more and more buyers being helped by family to get them on the housing ladder."

Weston-super-Mare is home to several new-build estates who all market themselves on the town’s perfect location to blend seaside and country living with easy access to a city lifestyle. It is served well by the M5, as well as other major roads and railways, and has a fantastic three-mile beach which even features a famous old Grand Pier.

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The seaside resort is rebuilding its reputation (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

According to The Daily Express, the town has had a rather mixed reputation over the years due to cheap foreign travel, which turned this once iconic seaside resort into something quite bleak. However, the town has made a brave comeback - in part helped by an upgrade to its sea defences - and now even more homes are planned in the centre of town.

Now, Weston-super-Mare is developing a cultural hotspot for the area too, with the introduction of Weston Wallz, a new fringe theatre, as well as a range of events led by arts organisation Culture Weston.

Zesha Saleem