Think carefully before buying home by sea

● A SURVEY will highlight any potential problems with a property before you buy. You might pay anything from £500 for a basic condition report to £750 for a homebuyer survey, right up to £1,500 for a full buildings survey. Those considering a coastal property should opt for the latter as it includes an in-depth foundations study.

● IF you are not a cash buyer, be aware that mortgage providers are nervous about lending on coastal properties. Home insurance providers are also not keen because the risks to the property are higher.

● DON’T allow the heart to rule the head. If in doubt, get opinions from level-headed friends – and someone involved in the property or building industries. Make numerous visits looking for reasons not to buy.

● YOU can bag a bargain when it comes to buying a home close to the sea, but you are effectively playing roulette. For example, the owner of the £195,000 fivebedroom family home in Eastchurch that fell into the sea two years ago purchased it for cash a couple of years earlier. Coastal erosion was not expected to be a problem for 40 years.