Brits searching for peace and quiet and a cheaper life are flocking to a quaint seaside town that has become the new downsizing capital of Britain.
In the lovely town of Exmouth, Devon, homes remain on the market for just 26 days on average before they are sold, MailOnline can reveal.
Purplebricks analysis has revealed the town as the most desired place to downsize in, with homes being snapped up less than a month after they’ve been put on the market on average.
That is despite homes costing a whopping £73,000 more than a typical house in the rest of the UK.
The average price of an Exmouth home is £341,268, which is well above the UK average of £268,087.
Yet locals speaking to MailOnline said they weren’t surprised Exmouth had become the downsizing capital.
They said the beautiful sea air was a draw to many people of differing ages, both those looking for somewhere to retire but also young parents looking to bring up their children somewhere peaceful.
Local primary school teacher and mother-of-two Georgia Wright, 34, said: ‘It is a gorgeous place to live and it’s relatively safe and nice to bring up your kids in.
Exmouth is the downsizing capital of the UK and sees homes go from being listed to Sold Subject to Contract in just 26 days
Another local, 76-year-old Sally Curtis (pictured) is in the process of downsizing again in EXmouth
| Exmouth | United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Average Price – £341,268 | Average Price – £268,087 |
| Detached Price – £493,538 | Detached Price – £440,190 |
| Terraced Price – £299,947 | Terraced Price – £223,808 |
| Flat Price – £242,895 | Flat Price – £196,361 |
‘We’ve talked about moving and we just don’t want to leave the beach.’
The young mother said she had lived in the area all her life after her mum and dad downsized to Exmouth because it was by the beach.
And even though she’s never moved, she admitted her partner had moved to Exmouth for the same reason.
Meanwhile, Sally Curtis, 76, is in the process of downsizing again in Exmouth.
She used to live in Scotland before moving to the Cotswolds when her husband passed away and then going to live in Exmouth to be close to her daughter and grandchildren.
Now she is looking for a smaller house but doesn’t want to leave the seaside.
Her four-bedroom end of terrace home is on the market for just £550,000.
She said: ‘It is sad having to downsize. I’m extremely lucky to be able to do it because a lot of people don’t have a choice.
Sally wants to have a smaller home but doesn’t want to be too far away from the lovely beach
Purplebricks Exmouth property partner Will Dunford, 32, has worked in the industry for 14 years and said he wasn’t surprised Exmouth was the downsizing capital of Britain
Pictured: Primary school teacher Georgia Wright, with her two children Lola, 11, (left) and Poppy, seven
‘I lived in Scotland and my husband died 13 years ago. I had a huge garden.
‘I couldn’t cope with what was left and then I moved.
‘Then I had a little cottage garden, which was lovely but it got a bit of an effort.
‘It’s taken a bit of getting used to but the price obviously comes into it and [the new place] is smaller.’
Purplebricks Exmouth property partner Will Dunford, 32, has worked in the industry for 14 years and said he wasn’t surprised Exmouth was the downsizing capital of Britain.
He told MailOnline: ‘People love the area. It’s quite a common thing. It’s a popular spot to come to. A lot of people we see coming this way have holidayed here for years and eventually come down and stay here for the rest of [their] lives.
‘There are a lot of people who moved to London at a younger age, spent a long time there workinging and then moved back this way again.
‘Quite often it’s families who may be getting kids out of the city and more into the countryside.
‘Exmouth beach is well renowned. There’s lots of popular places so it’s been one of those areas that always has a busy market.
‘There are definitely a lot of people who are saying they’re downsizing in terms of type of house.’
Mr Dunford said the amazing thing about Exmouth was the variety of house prices in such a small area.
He said: ‘I can pick a place that’s £170,000 and 100 yards down the road there’s a £2million house.
‘You will see people coming from those bigger places, downsizing to something smaller for family or mortgage reasons.
‘We see a lot of families that stick to the local area.
Retired Unilever worker Graham Marshall, 94, moved to Exmouth with his wife to be by the sea
Sally Curtis is selling her four-bedroom end of terrace home for just £550,000
An equivalent house in the rest of the UK could be as cheap as £250,000 – but Exmouth’s charms still see people flocking to buy in the seaside town
‘[Older people] are going to be in a larger house at some point. They will downsize into a flat, smaller house or retirement home.
‘On the other side of it, you’ve got families who maybe their kids have flown the nest and they will look at the downsize. They could be in their forties.
‘They could look at going from what they currently have in a three or four-bed detached house to a two or three-bedroom terrace for example.’
Another local, Graham Marshall, 94, worked for the agricultural section of Unilever before his retirement.
He still lives in the house he moved into with his wife in 1995 and would downsize but for the fuss of moving.
He said: ‘I’m 94 so I’ve given up worrying. I moved here in 1995 when I retired. I was living in Australia.
‘When we came it was just getting over a bad spell, like it is now.We always wanted to live near the sea.
‘South London is my birthplace. It’s nice to have the sea. It changes colour, changes form, goes in and out, is always different.’
