Salcombe has topped the list for British city dwellers’ most sought-after second home town followed by Falmouth in Cornwall and North Berwick in East Lothian.
Second homes and holiday lets in the South West are the most popular, with Salcombe, Falmouth, St Ives, Brixham and Newquay all within the top six in demand, according to a study by Lakeshore Leisure Group.
Separate data, however, from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, also name the South West the region with most second homes, accounting for 27% of all the UK’s total.
According to the latest available Government data for UK second home areas, the South East is ranked second with 14%, London comes in at 12%, and Yorkshire and Humber 10 percent.
It comes as house prices of £2million properties in rural areas rise by the fastest rate in a decade, with wealthy people in cities hunting for countryside retreats across the UK amid a staycation boom during the pandemic.
A map showing the most sought-after second home towns for British city dwellers, with Salcombe, Falmouth, St Ives, Brixham and Newquay in the South West all within the top six in demand
A separate report from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities names the South West, which accounts for 27 percent of the UK total, as the area with the highest number of second homes.
Gyllyngvase, Falmouth, Cornwall was designated as the second-most popular second home for city residents. It comes as house prices of £2million properties in rural areas rise by the fastest rate in a decade
North Berwick, Ullapool, and Ullapool in Scotland are most sought-after locations for rural homes. Tenby, however, is the sole Welsh village listed among the top 20 second-home towns.
Lakeshore Leisure Group said: ‘Whilst many of these towns thrive on a tourist economy, there are downsides to these increases in second home ownership – particularly for the locals.
“As these locations become more sought-after for second home buyers, property prices rise so that locals may be priced out of purchasing a permanent residence.
“This results in properties that are occupied less often than half of the year. The towns also become more seasonal, overcrowded during summer holidays, and quiet, lifeless in winter.
This data was compiled by the company using the combined Google search history for 101 cities as’second homes’. [town name]The ‘holiday home in’ [town name]’.
Between April 2020 to August 2019, Salcombe residents made 19,990 Google search, 12370 for Falmouth and 12,140 in North Berwick.
North Berwick in Scotland and Ullapool, both in Scotland, are popular places for a rural home. Tenby in Wales is the highest ranked Welsh community of twenty-second homes.
St Ives, Cornwall was identified as fourth most preferred second home for urban dwellers. Data from separate sources indicates that the South West is the area with most second homes. It accounts for 27 percent of all the UK’s home ownership.
The Department for Levelling Up reported that 3 per cent of UK households had a second house in 2018. This is an unchanged percentage from 2008-09.
Most people buy a second property to be used as a weekend or holiday cottage. However, 35% of those who own it view it as an investment or income for the long term. 16% have previously lived in it.
The latest statistics show that 57% are located in the UK, 34% in Europe, and 9 percent in non-European locations.
According to the 2018-19 English Housing Survey by the government department, there was an increase in second homes in Britain and a decrease in second homes from Europe since 2008-09.
Fistral Beach, Newquay in Cornwall was fifth among the top five most desired second homes by city dwellers. Three percent of UK households reported owning a second residence in 2018-19.
Above, Brixham Harbour in South Devon is pictured. Small fishing village was sixth on the list for most desirable second home areas by city dwellers
Meanwhile, it was revealed in September that ministers were preparing a triple clampdown on second homes amid warnings that they are squeezing the life out of holiday hotspots.
Robert Jenrick, Communities Secretary, proposed a series of reforms to give local councils the power to prohibit the construction of second homes in the event that they prove to be detrimental to their community.
The bans would not need to be passed by a referendum.
New rights for councils allow them to require developers to build more starter houses, rather than focusing only on homes that are likely to appeal to “incomers” looking to buy a home.
These moves were part of the planning legislation that was passed in the autumn. They are intended to offer relief to areas like Cornwall, Lake District, and Cotswolds, where there is a high concentration of second-homes.