Merseyside town crowned top coastal property hotspot as house prices soar 11% in just one year

Bootle has the fastest growing house prices of any coastal location in Britain, Rightmove data shows.

The average asking price of a home in the Merseyside town has jumped to £141,680, representing a year-on-year increase of 11 per cent.

It came as the average asking price across the country fell by 0.3 per cent in the year to May.

Bootle has a strong buy-to-let market, and is also set to benefit from the redevelopment of the nearby Everton football stadium.

Crosby, also in the North West of England, saw the second biggest spike in year-on-year asking prices of any coastal town, Rightmove said.

In Crosby, the average asking price of a property rose by 9 per cent year-on-year. Prices are more than twice as expensive as those in Bootle though, at £330,900.

Penarth and Llantwit Major in Wales have seen average asking prices rise by 8 per cent year-on-year to £433,081 and £340,033 respectively.

In Llanelli, Wales, average asking prices jumped 7 per cent to £201,570 in the period. Wallasey, Merseyside, also saw average asking prices rise 7 per cent to £200,753.

Porthcawl in Wales, Barrow-In-Furness in Cumbria and Helensburgh in Scotland also made it to Rightmove's top 10 fastest growing coastal asking price hotspots.

According to the property portal's analysis, nine out of the top ten seaside locations for price rises still have an average asking price below the national average.

In more than 100 coastal locations analysed, more than 80 per cent had an average asking price below the £378,304 national average.

Colleen Babcock, Rightmove’s property expert, said: 'The fastest-growing seaside markets this year show that demand for coastal homes remains resilient, even as overall price growth across the UK stays more modest.

'While some locations are seeing strong price increases, there are still many areas where living by the sea is more affordable, giving buyers a wider range of options depending on their budget.

'We’re also seeing that homes priced realistically continue to attract interest, particularly in locations where price growth is being supported by buyer demand.'

Mary-Lou Press, president of estate agent membership body NAEA Propertymark, added: 'Coastal living continues to attract buyers, particularly as many seaside locations still offer better value for money than larger cities and commuter hotspots.

'What stands out in this data is that many of the fastest-growing seaside markets remain relatively affordable, especially in parts of the North West and Wales. For many buyers, these areas can offer a balance of lifestyle, space and value.

“We’re continuing to see demand driven by flexible working and buyers reassessing where they want to live, but consumers should look beyond headline price growth and also consider factors such as transport links, local jobs, flood risk and ongoing housing costs.

'For sellers, realistic pricing remains key. Even in popular coastal markets, buyers are still price-sensitive, and homes that are marketed accurately are more likely to secure interest.'

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Peterlee, County Durham, emerged as the cheapest seaside location in Britain, with average property asking prices at £120,657. Year-on-year, average asking prices fell by 3 per cent in Peterlee.

Grimsby came out as the second cheapest seaside location, with average asking prices up 2 per cent year-on-year to £133,706.

Ashington, Northumberland, was the third cheapest coastal location, with average property asking prices at £133,775, up 2 per cent year-on-year.

While seeing the fastest growth in asking prices year-on-year, Bootle remained the fourth cheapest coastal location, according to Rightmove.

Blackpool, Fleetwood, Birkenhead, Workington, Ayr and Seaham also made it to the top 10 list of the cheapest seaside locations in Britain when it came to property asking prices. All the top 10 had average asking prices below £200,000.

Affluent Sandbanks in Poole remained Britain’s most expensive seaside location, with an average asking price of £1.12million, Rightmove said.

However, average asking prices in Sandbanks fell by 4 per cent year-on-year.

This was closely followed by nearby Canford Cliffs where the average asking price of a home is £1.04million.

Lymington in Hampshire remained an expensive option for buyers, with average asking prices at £545,926, though this was 1 per cent lower year-on-year.

Barton On Sea, Lyme Regis, St. Ives, Shoreham-By-Sea, Swanage, Sidmouth and Saltdean also made it to the top 10 most expensive seaside hotspots in Britain for average asking prices.