More renters looking to live near rivers or the coast
At Rightmove we’ve seen record levels of home-hunters searching for properties with gardens, and now another trend is becoming clear.
There are signs that more renters want to live near a river or the coast, with Southsea, Cambridge and Worthing seeing the biggest rise in searches over the past fortnight.
The data we looked at compared the first two weeks of lockdown with the second two weeks.
Southsea in Portsmouth tops the list of the biggest increase in searches during the two time periods, followed by Cambridge and Worthing. Others in the top ten include Marlow, Bognor Regis, Dover, Southend and Margate.
Here is our table in full:
Check out some wonderful waterside homes…
Southsea
Renters of this Portsmouth penthouse should never be late for anything whilst they live here – because the apartment is perched in the top of a giant clock tower.
The uniquely characterful property is split across two levels of the impressive tower, which is part of the former Royal Marine barracks.
The views from the many circular port-hole windows are simply stunning, with panoramic vistas across the harbour, the city skyline and the Isle of Wight visible from the property.
This property is listed for sale with Town and Country Southern.
Take a closer look at the property below:
Worthing
This sleek and stylish coastal apartment is an absolute dreamboat of a property if you’re a sucker for stunning sea views – which this place has in spades.
The luxurious open-plan home is just a stone’s throw from Worthing’s plush pebble beach, and from the balcony you can watch the world go by as the sun sets over the pier.
This property is listed for sale with Jacobs Steel.
Take a closer look at the property below:
Bognor Regis
Every morning at this cosy beachside property you’ll open your front door to the beautiful sea air as it’s plonked directly opposite Bognor Regis beach.
The ground floor apartment boasts two double bedrooms and also has a lovely little breakfast bar area – the perfect spot to prepare your playlist ahead of a morning run along the beach.
This property is listed for sale with Your Move.
Take a closer look at the property below:
Why are renters looking to live near the sea?
Many renters, particularly those who live in larger cities, don’t have direct access to an outdoor space of their own, so living somewhere with a beach that stretches for miles is very appealing.
The allure of living by the sea may draw renters further away from where they’ve lived and travelled to work from, as can be seen by some of the coastal locations that have seen the largest search increases.
Understandably most of the rental market has hit the pause button right now except where there are essential moves taking place, and so we haven’t seen an indication of price movements yet.
If there is a spike in demand that exceeds supply when lockdown ends this may mean that prices stay steady.
For more on the rental market, check out our latest rental trends tracker.
