The research suggests seaside towns on the West coast have seen stronger house price growth over the past five years, with fourteen of the top twenty located on the West coast against six on the East coast.
Highest priced seaside town is Sandbanks on the West coast
The most expensive seaside town is on the West coast; Sandbanks in Dorset, with an average house price of £508,337. Its average price is 62 per cent or £193,959 more than the highest priced East coast seaside town, Lymington in Hampshire (£314,378). Nine of the ten most expensive seaside towns are located on the West coast with four in Cornwall, three in Dorset and two in Devon.
East coast's Seaham is best performer over five years
Seaham in County Durham, an East coast seaside town, has seen the strongest house price growth over five years (181 per cent). It was followed by five West coast towns – Pwllheli in Wales (176 per cent), Rock in Cornwall (172 per cent), Caernarfon in Wales (166 per cent), Maryport in Cumbria (155 per cent) and Tenby in Wales (150 per cent). Sixty-one coastal towns have seen at least a doubling in their average house price over the past five years. 32 towns are from the West coast with 29 on the East coast.
Porthcawl on Wales' West coast is best performer for the past year
Over the past year the best performer was from the West coast; Porthcawl in Wales (27 per cent). It was followed by two East coast seaside towns – Hartlepool in county Cleveland (22 per cent) and Robin Hood's Bay in North Yorkshire (22 per cent).
Withernsea on the East coast is most affordable seaside town
The most affordable seaside town is located on the East coast, Withernsea in North Humberside (£94,119). Its average price is 10 per cent or £10,428 less than the most inexpensive West Coast seaside town, Maryport in Cumbria (£104,547). Three seaside towns have an average house price less than £100,000 and all are on the East coast – Withernsea, Blythe in Northumberland (£95,833) and Hartlepool in county Cleveland (£97,017). The ten most inexpensive seaside towns are all located in Northern England.
Colin Kemp, managing director at Halifax Estate Agents, said: "Seaside towns on the West coast have generally seen the largest house price increases over the past five years. Welsh seaside towns have recorded the strongest gains.
"Overall, coastal towns still offer value for home buyers. The majority of the towns we surveyed still have a lower house price than the average in their region."
