So, where to move? Some coastal areas do, of course, come with high ticket housing. But there are more reasonably priced properties to be had too, which come with all the same benefits. To that end, we’ve rounded up the best houses for sale by the sea right now.
Three-Bed Townhouse, Cromer, North Norfolk
Sowerbys, £535,000
For decades, Cromer was seen as a dowdy, faded Victoria coastal resort, routinely overlooked in favour of the picturesque delights dotted along the coast road to its west: the perennially popular likes of Cley, Blakeney and Wells. Over the last few years, all that has changed. Galton Blackiston’s No 1 Cromer fish and chip shop is an award-winning destination, the Cliftonville Hotel has had a stylish boutique makeover, and lovely cafés abound. Plus, it is on the railway, which convenience cannot be underestimated. In truth, there are cheaper, larger houses than this to be discovered in Cromer for those on the hunt for a project. We love this handsome townhouse though, which is a short walk to the sea, along with its pier, which is so well-kept that it was named ‘pier of the year’ in 2024. Generously proportioned, unlike many large Cromer townhouses, this property needs little in the way of work and even comes with its own garage. A great family home for anyone longing to decamp to the seaside. Find the details here.
Three/Four-Bed Georgian House, Hastings, East Sussex
John Bray, £500,000
How do you fancy seeing the English Channel from your floor-to-ceiling bedroom window every morning? It’s the stuff that many of us dream of, and yet here, for half a million, it is a reality in Hastings Old Town. A caveat: this property, directly on East Parade, is only for those who don’t mind a little noise: there is in a main road below and boats come and go through day and night, making their crossings to France. We say, however, that the sheer excitement of such a window on nautical life more than makes for it, as do the exceptionally lovely Georgian proportions, the partially clapboarded exterior and the proximity to not only the water but a host of excellent pubs and restaurants (The Crown is surely one of the very best in the land). It’s in excellent, neutral condition, making it a perfect blank canvas to move straight into. Find the details here.
Three-Bed Town House, Margate
Inigo, £625,000
Right in the heart of the Margate Conservation Area, this Grade II-listed late Georgian town house on Trinity Square is the perfect expression of restrained elegance right on the coast. Margate has, famously, become an outpost of artists who began to leave east London in droves because of its astronomical prices, decamping instead to the seaside where the air is saltier and the prices more palatable. Of course, in so doing, they have gradually brought with them all the tell-tale hallmarks of gentrification (gastropubs, artisan coffee, boutique hotels, a Farrow & Ball palette) that are loved by some and deplored by others. If you are in camp love, then do consider this exceptional house, which is arranged over four floors, each one of them a masterclass in good taste. Margate’s prices have, on the one-hand, risen exponentially since the arrival of so many ex-Londoners; on the other, you can still buy a beautiful townhouse for the price of a flat in many areas of the capital. If you are thinking about it, now is the time. Find the details here.
Three-Bed Regency Flat, Brighton
Brand Vaughan, £700,000
For many Londoners, Brighton is the first place they think of when the notion of a daytrip to the seaside crops up along with a spell of nice weather. Its famous lanes are bursting with vivid colours and endlessly cool shops, restaurants and cafes – and it’s all right on the sea. This does, of course, command some higher prices when it comes to property. However, whilst none of it comes cheap, there are still some great buys to be had – and, often, opting for a flat rather than a house can get you more in terms of position, space and indeed bag you a slice of the city’s classic Regency architecture. This achingly elegant, light-flooded Kemptown apartment, with its lovely French doors, is a case in point: not only is it as big as many houses, it is right in the heart of Kemptown, plus it has views of sea as well, indeed, as access to 7.5 acres of exclusive garden enclosures with a tunnel to the beach. What else could you possibly need? Find the details here.
Double-Fronted Three-Bed Victorian House, Falmouth
Heather & Lay, £560,000
Perched in a row of Victorian terraced houses that overlooks Falmouth and its twinkling harbour, waking up in this house every day would be little short of a dream – in large part thanks to the generous water-facing balcony, which has G&T sundowner written all over it. There is also a harbour facing courtyard garden and a dining room with our other much-lusted-after auxiliary addition: a pantry. The interiors could do a with a decorative spruce up, but there are some excellent features, from the spiral staircase to the fireplaces around which to gather on cosy winter nights while tempests rage outside. It is, however, all about that view. Find the details here.
