House prices surge in Merseyside and Wales seaside hotspots amid national slump

Seaside towns across Merseyside and Wales have emerged as the UK’s fastest-growing property hotspots, defying a broader national slowdown in house price increases, new analysis reveals.

Bootle in Merseyside leads the surge, with average asking prices climbing by an impressive 11 per cent over the past year, according to property website Rightmove.

Despite this significant rise, the average price in the town, located on the outskirts of Liverpool, remains considerably below the national average at £141,680.

Another Merseyside location, Crosby, secured the second spot, experiencing a 9 per cent year-on-year increase, pushing average house prices to £330,900.

Wales also features prominently in the top rankings, with several towns seeing substantial jumps. Llantwit Major in South Glamorgan recorded an 8 per cent rise, while Llanelli in Carmarthenshire saw a 7 per cent increase.

Penarth, near Cardiff, saw an 8 per cent increase to an average of £433,081, making it the most expensive in the top 10 fastest-growing areas and the only one to exceed the national average.

This localised boom contrasts sharply with the wider UK market, where the average asking price for a property coming to market in May stood at £378,304.

Overall, average asking prices across Britain are 0.3 per cent lower compared to last year, highlighting how these coastal areas are bucking the trend.

Despite these specific increases, Rightmove noted that coastal living generally remains more affordable than many other parts of the country. Approximately 80 per cent of the roughly 100 seaside areas analysed, which had at least 20 new homes listed, featured average asking prices below the national figure.

However, Sandbanks in Poole continues to hold its title as Britain’s most expensive seaside location, with an average price tag of £1.12 million.

Colleen Babcock, Rightmove’s property expert, commented: “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.

“While some locations are seeing strong price increases, there are still many areas where living by the sea is more affordable, giving buyers a wider range of options depending on their budget.

“We’re also seeing that homes priced realistically continue to attract interest, particularly in locations where price growth is being supported by buyer demand.”

According to Rightmove, here are the 10 seaside locations with the highest year-on-year house price growth and their average asking price:

1. Bootle, Merseyside, up 11% to £141,680

2. Crosby, Merseyside, up 9% to £330,900

3. Penarth, South Glamorgan, Wales, up 8% to £433,081

4. Llantwit Major, South Glamorgan, Wales, up 8% to £340,033

5. Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, Wales, up 7% to £201,570

6. Wallasey, Merseyside, up 7% to £200,753

7. Bangor, Gwynedd, Wales, up 7% to £220,622

8. Porthcawl, South Glamorgan, Wales, up 6% to £359,412

9. Barrow-In-Furness, Cumbria, up 6% to £185,169

10. Helensburgh, Dunbartonshire, Scotland, up 6% to £247,953

The top 10 most expensive seaside towns in Britain, with their average asking price, are:

1. Sandbanks, Dorset, £1,119,945

2. Canford Cliffs, Dorset, £1,045,533

3. Lymington, Hampshire, £545,926

4. Barton on Sea, Hampshire, £496,143

5. Lyme Regis, Dorset, £474,417

6. St Ives, Cornwall, £461,959

7. Shoreham-By-Sea, West Sussex, £455,939

8. Swanage, Dorset, £455,347

9. Sidmouth, Devon, £450,971

10. Saltdean, East Sussex, £449,007

Conversely, the top 10 cheapest seaside towns in Britain, with their average asking price, include:

1. Peterlee, County Durham, £120,657

2. Grimsby, Lincolnshire, £133,706

3. Ashington, Northumberland, £133,775

4. Bootle, Merseyside, £141,680

5. Blackpool, Lancashire, £142,277

6. Fleetwood, Lancashire, £147,910

7. Birkenhead, Merseyside, £148,942

8. Workington, Cumbria, £155,013

9. Ayr, Ayrshire, Scotland, £157,754

10. Seaham, County Durham, £157,994