Whitley Bay Having Lockdown Victorian Property Boom

Once a coal-mining town, and then a Victorian seaside holiday resort, Whitley Bay in North Tyneside has again become one of the country’s most sought after coastal locations, according to a survey from property website Rightmove.

Chronicle Live reports that the historic town is the UK’s second most desired seaside location, following a huge surge in enquiries and interest since the beginning of the easing of the coronavirus lockdown.

Experts are saying this is likely due to buyers considering a change in lifestyle following an unprecedented start to 2020, and are now planning staycation options, as foreign travel continues to be uncertain for some time.

Local estate agents say that the interest is coming from arrivals from other areas of the UK who are buying up Victorian second properties.

Susan Usher, branch manager of Your Move in Whitley Bay, said: “The regeneration of Whitley Bay in recent years has brought people back who lived here in the past. It’s also very popular with younger families as they can send their children to outstanding schools and have beautiful beaches on their doorstep.

“It’s been quite staggering the number of applicants we’ve had in recent weeks, with a number of properties going for above-asking prices, both for luxury apartments and lovely Victorian homes.”

Commenting on Rightmove’s findings, Nick Henderson, director of Hendersons estate agents in Whitby said: “Since we reopened a few weeks ago we’ve been selling bigger homes a lot more quickly than before, as families are changing the way they live and are swapping a 10-minute commute into the office for a 10-minute walk to the beach instead.

“Holiday homes have always been popular, often apartments or cottages that have been refurbished to an incredibly high spec, but again there’s been a surge in recent weeks for these as people choose to make an investment now so they have somewhere for a staycation over the next few years instead of going abroad.”

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Coving ‘Adds Character’

An interior designer has recently been sharing how she transformed what she describes as a property that was an “absolute disaster” inside into a stunning family home.

Clare Pater talked to Real Homes about the transformation and how she has managed to create a high-end look on a limited budget. One of her top tips is to search eBay and charity shops for artwork and to upcycle items where you can.

There are a few features that she was adamant about including in the property and one of these was coving in the living room. Ms Pater stated: “I knew I wanted to go very dark on the walls and have very traditional flooring. And I had to have coving - it just adds so much character. It looks like it’s meant to be there.”

She chose to paint the walls black, which contrasts perfectly with the marble fireplace, as well as the crisp white of the coving, ceiling and skirting boards. Pale wood-effect flooring and a sofa and rug in light shades mean that the space doesn’t look too dark.

It seems that many people in the UK have started house hunting since the restrictions surrounding lockdown have been eased in recent weeks.

Show House reported on figures from chartered surveyor and estate agent DEXTERS, which saw a 200 per cent increase in new enquiries in the first two weeks after lockdown restrictions were relaxed in May, compared to the same period in 2019.

Top priorities for those house hunting in London at the moment have included properties with outdoor space and additional interior space for home working.

If you buy a property that needs some work and you want to replace or repair plaster coving in London, get in touch with us to find out about our specialist services.