Seaside towns in Merseyside and Wales have emerged as the fastest-growing property hotspots in the UK, according to new data from Rightmove. Bootle in Merseyside tops the list with an 11% year-on-year increase in average asking prices, reaching £141,680. Despite this growth, prices remain well below the national average.
Crosby, also in Merseyside, saw the second-highest growth at 9%, with average asking prices rising to £330,900. Welsh towns also featured prominently, with Llantwit Major in South Glamorgan recording a 9% rise and Llanelli in Carmarthenshire up by 7%. Penarth, near Cardiff, saw an 8% increase to an average of £433,091, the highest among the top 10 fastest-growing spots and the only one above the national average.
The UK average asking price in May was £378,304, with overall prices 0.3% lower than the previous year. However, these seaside locations are defying the national trend. Rightmove noted that coastal living remains relatively affordable, with around 80% of the 100 seaside areas analysed having average asking prices below the national figure.
Sandbanks in Poole remains Britain’s most expensive seaside hotspot, with an average price of £1.12 million. 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.”
