Best on the coast and a price surprise for one of our towns

THIS week we take a close look at two of the most popular towns on the Yorkshire coast. That’s Whitby and Scarborough, which both have many and varied charms.

Whitby has outpaced Scarborough over the last few years in terms of house price increases but the tide appears to be turning with Scarborough now attracting a new audience thanks, in part, to the open air theatre, which has had a big impact.

The gigs and the big-name artists are bringing in those who have never visited Britain’s first seaside town before.

Many of the gig-goers like what they see and who wouldn’t?

When the visitors check out the house prices and amenities, some are tempted to think about moving to the town affectionately known as Scarbados. House prices there are still affordable for first-time buyers, which is something to celebrate.

On the subject of house prices, we also focus on Huddersfield after recent analysis showed that the HD postcode area weathered Britain’s house price downturn best over the last year.

More on that subject came from Rightmove which revealed that Yorkshire prices are just 0.7 per lower than at this time last year but have increased by 0.6 per cent in the past 12 months,

Patrick McCutcheon, head of residential at Dacre, Son & Hartley, says: “The figures show that buyer and seller activity has increased compared to last January, shortly after the mini-Budget debacle, which shows how confidence is returning and this is certainly a trend that we’ve seen in Yorkshire, where buyer demand remains good.

“This is boosted further by borrowing rates which are likely to continue falling as lenders compete for business. The supply and opportunity for buyers has also returned towards more normal levels. I believe we will continue to see a return to a more active market, with consistent and positive sales volumes.”