On the market: 13 coastal do-er uppers
Looking for a seaside bolthole, or a more significant lifestyle move? Snap up one of these stunning coastal properties for a post-lockdown project.
There’s nothing like a global pandemic to make you re-evaluate life, location and even career. If you’re currently swiping through Rightmove for fun and wishing you could spend your daily allocated walk on the beach, we’ve rounded up some coastal properties currently on the market ripe for your relocation once everything is back up and running. Start visualising paint swatches and furniture shopping now.
1. Torpoint, Plymouth, £800,000

If you’ve always harboured a secret dream to run a B&B (or you just want one hell of a party house) then snap up this 8-bedroom villa ASAP. Dating from the 1790s and a former home to merchants and admirals, Tor House is a gorgeous Georgian property with views across the Tamar and more walled grounds than you can shake a stick at. Play at Upstairs Downstairs by using the servants’ staircase to get to one of the two (!) wine cellars.


2. Rhoose, Vale of Glamorgan, £399,950

This cute 3-bed cottage on the South Wales coast screams ‘character property’ – thatched roof, exposed beams and all (we’re particularly enamoured with the exposed stone in the bathroom and the GINORMOUS fireplace in the dining room). Whack in a shiny new kitchen and spruce up the bedrooms and you’ve got a hell of a Welsh home, with plenty of countryside to boot and only 30 minutes from Cardiff.


3. Cowes, Isle of Wight, £850,000

A Grade II Georgian townhouse with sea views in the heart of Cowes Old Town? Sign us up. Cowes is a little slice of marine paradise (home to the world’s oldest sailing regatta, FYI), with plenty of boutique shops and chic restaurants just a short stroll from this property. If you’re a traditional kind of girl, then this 4-bed might not need redecorating at all, but we’re itching to get some neon and quirky prints in there.


4. Suffolk, £425,000

And now for something completely different – a refurbished windmill! This 64ft high, Grade II beauty was originally built in 1837, but don’t let that scare you – it was restored back in ‘93 and transformed into a 3-bed, 2-bath home. You might need a little imagination to put your own stamp on this place, but we reckon it would make an incredible Air BnB – especially as it’s surrounded by tourist attractions and just 15 minutes’ drive from the Norfolk Broads.


5. Aldwick, Bognor Regis, £770,000

Doesn’t this 1930s four-bed look like it hopped off the front of a chocolate box? A mega-cute detatched house tucked away in Aldwick Bay Estate (which we hear from very reliable sources is ‘one of the best kept secrets along the South Coast’ – who knew Bognor was so desirable?), this property is big enough for the whole family. It’s just a 7-minute drive to beautiful Aldwick Beach, too.

6. North Kessock, Inverness £300,000

Whoa! This incredible architect-designed home on the banks of Beauly Firth in Inverness has our interior design brains whirring. The open-plan layout and huge glass windows (drink in that view) says Scandi chic, but there’s loads to get your teeth into when it comes to modernisation, including four bedrooms, two bathrooms and a sun room. With Inverness city centre just 10 minutes away and the glory of the Highlands on your doorstep, this is the ideal spot for a Scottish getaway.


7. Wembury, Plymouth, £525,000

You’d be forgiven for thinking these Grade II coastguard cottages are straight out of Plymouth’s tourist guide. After all, it’s not often a property can boast village shops and a pub a short row away. You’ll need to get your walking shoes on for this one, as the house isn’t accessible by car, but with views like that, we think it’s worth it – plus there are three bedrooms to get your grubby DIY mitts on.


8. West Wittering, West Sussex, £795,000

The Witterings near Chichester are a haven for upmarket beach bums, with their pastel beach huts, seafood bistros and sandy beaches. This tidy detached 4-bed needs a bit of design SOS but it’s slap-bang in the heart of the action, just 4 minutes’ drive from West Wittering beach and National Trust beauty spot East Head. After a chilled day at the beach, head back to the house and slap on the after-sun in the privacy of the leafy South-facing garden. Sounds like heaven.


9. Port Isaac, Cornwall £425,000

Is that the Doc Martin theme tune we hear on the sea breeze? You might recognise this super-chic Cornish bolthole from the TV show, but it’s a coastal hot spot in its own right. Tucked away down one of the higgedly-piggedly alleyways of this historic fishing village (so-called Squeezy Belly Alley, apparently!) lies Fuchsia Cottage, a Grade II three-storey cottage that’s oozing with character. With its three bedrooms, original features and sunny courtyard garden (complete with fuschia bushes, naturally), this postcard-pretty property shoots to the top of our wishlist.


10. Maldon, Essex, £375,000

What’s better than a pink-painted waterside cottage dating back to the 18th century? The same cottage, but next door to the pub! Miranda Cottage sits on the Chelmer and Blackwater Canal Lock, which means great views of the estuary and plenty of canal walks, and there are sailing clubs and tea rooms right on the doorstep.


11. Christchurch, Dorset, £1,000,000

This historic 4-storey townhouse in the heart of Christchurch is a waterside double whammy – not only is it an 8-minute drive from Avon Beach, but it also sits on the banks of the River Avon, and has a secret path down to the water for mooring your own boat. Chuck in 6 bedrooms, original features like marble fireplaces and a two-storey coachhouse in the grounds (hellooo, Granny Annexe or Air BnB!) and we’re sold.


12. Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset, £485,000

7 bedrooms and a beach at the end of the road ain’t bad for under 500k! This Arts & Crafts-style period property needs a bit of decor TLC, and we’d love to get our hands on that garden, but the bones and coastal location are ideal for those after a seaside party pad.


13. Woodbridge, Suffolk, £550,000

Squirrelled away in the pretty fishing village of Orford, this 3-bed detached house from the 1800s has a nature reserve, a 12th century castle and Orford Quay on its doorstep. Sounds like the perfect hideaway on the Suffolk Coast to us.

