Britain's most exclusive seaside towns (and five bargain alternatives)
The allure of living by the sea can be felt by everybody, no matter your tax bracket.
At the top end of the spectrum is the exclusive Sandbanks, in Dorset, with the average property costing £965,708.
Meanwhile, the most affordable seaside towns can be found in Scotland, with all 10 of the cheapest spots located north of the border.
While house prices in coastal towns nationally fell 1pc, to £295,991 last year, the demand for a home by the sea remains strong. Over the past five years, prices have risen 18pc, research by Lloyd's bank has revealed.
So it is no surprise that the housing market in seaside towns was worth £21bn in 2024.
The prime street in Sandbanks has previously been dubbed 'millionaire's row' and celebrity homeowners have included Harry Redknapp and Rick Stein. One bungalow recently sold for £13.5m to businessman Tom Glanfield.
The coastal property league
The top of the coastal property league is dominated by locations in the South West, with Salcombe in Devon and Padstow in Cornwall coming in at second and third.
Property prices in Salcombe, nicknamed 'Chelsea-on-sea', average at £826,159, Lloyds bank found. Meanwhile a home in Padstow, of Rick Stein fame, averaged at £715,974.
The exclusive hotspots are becoming increasingly exclusive, with house prices rising 37pc over the past five years.
St Mawes in Cornwall saw the biggest increase over this period, adding £222,602 (68pc) to the price of the typical property. The county remains the holiday home capital of the UK, with 14,123 second homes, according to government figures.
During the pandemic, people flocked to the coast to escape city life, leading to a seaside price boom. As normality returned, three out of the top 10 coastal areas during the pandemic have been hit by price falls.
However Toby Leek, of estate agency body Propertymark, said: 'Considering that the average house price has dipped slightly year-on-year, the current economic turbulence doesn't seem to have overly affected the market or dented the confidence of buyers of coastal locations.'
Research by Knight Frank found that the average premium for coastal properties was 66pc.
The estate agency reported that waterfront homes 'showcased greater resilience compared to the broader UK property market, highlighting their enduring appeal'.
Indeed buyers are still flocking to seaside towns and this is not confined to the ultra-rich, with Campbeltown in Scotland emerging as the least expensive. House prices average at £103,078, which have fallen 11pc in the past year.
Once dubbed the whisky capital of the world, it offers dramatic coastal views and allows for easy visits to the islands of Islay, Jura and Arran.
The next three most affordable towns are also on Scotland's west coast, Rothesay, Millport and Port Bannatyne.
According to property experts, now is a good time to invest in a home by the sea.
Nigel Bishop, of buying agency Recoco Property Search, said: 'One reason for the current price adjustment is the aftermath of the pandemic when people rushed to buy a home outside major cities.'
He added: 'As this trend has run its course, property prices are rebalancing. With some coastal areas now seeing an increase in the number of properties being put up for sale, supply and demand levels are also more balanced, which is putting buyers in a stronger position during price negotiations.'
Amanda Bryden, of Lloyds, said: 'In some of the UK's most desirable coastal towns, average prices have dipped slightly over the past year. But, over the longer term, values remain significantly higher.'
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