Coastal town luring more buyers to its sandy shores
The seaside resort of Bridlington is attracting a new kind of buyer thanks to its beaches and its affordable house prices. Sharon Dale reports.
For years, the housing market in Bridlington and its surrounding villages has been dominated by two groups: local people and retirees from West and South Yorkshire.
The incomers are often those who have holidayed in “Brid” and enjoyed the beautiful beaches and stunning coastal scenery.
“They also know they can get value for money here and the terrain is relatively flat. Pushing a wheelchair is not a problem but you’d be hard pressed to do that in Scarborough,” says estate agent Nick Belt.
Prices are certainly keen, especially when compared to fashionable Whitby. One-bedroom flats start at about £55,000 and bungalows, of which there are many, at £130,000.
The most expensive property on the market is a nine-bedroom boutique B&B for £900,000 on South Marine Drive. It comes with uninterrupted sea views.
For those who love historic architecture, the Old Town offers two streets of Georgian splendour and the surrounding villages, where home hunters often fail to look, are also good value.
Flamborough village has everything you could need with shops, pubs and walks along cliff tops and down to beaches. Barmston, six miles away, has its own sandy beach and homes there start at about £90,000.
Along with the traditional buyers, estate agents are seeing a new breed attracted by the sandy beaches, coastal walks, birdwatching and by Bridlington’s improved amenities, which include its Spa theatre.
“We are seeing buyers come from further afield and they often want to work from home,” says Nick Belt. “We are also seeing more people looking for holiday homes that they can use and let. I have had a small holiday let in Flamborough for years and it used to be busy in the summer holidays and that was it. Last year it was booked for 44 weeks.”
Andy Vidler of Reeds Rains agrees that there has been a rise in those looking for holiday homes to let and for own use. He says: “The prices here appeal and the pandemic has changed people’s thinking on flying abroad.”
Developer Andrew Bowes of North Bar Homes, has witnessed the same trend. He is building The Paddock at Greenfields, which comprises of 10, three and four bedroom properties
Prices start from £210,000 and the first houses are due to be ready for occupation in March 2021. He assumed that buyers would be local families or retirees relocating to Bridlington.
“The big surprise is that we have also had people buying the houses as holiday homes. We have sold one is to a younger couple who had a caravan in Bridlington and wanted to invest in a house and the other is to an older couple.”
Andrew, who is from nearby Driffield, says large developers have ignored Bridlington in recent years as they can’t sell in vast volumes there.
“There are big sites for development but the houses wouldn’t sell fast enough as there isn’t enough demand and that’s what large developers want,” says Andrew, who admits that could change.
No-one predicted that the market town of Driffield, 13 miles away from “Brid”, would be a target for large developers but now it is.
“You never know,” says Andrew, who believes that Bridlington doesn’t get the credit it deserves.
In his league of the best Yorkshire coastal towns with Whitby at number one and Filey at number two, he places Bridlington next above Scarborough.
He concludes: “Bridlington has the best beaches.”
The prices here appeal and the pandemic has changed people’s thinking on flying abroad.