Bargains in the buff! Seaside homes are dropping in price as picturesque beaches become havens for nudists
- Property prices in some Scottish coastal towns are falling because of nudists
A bracing Scottish seafront may not be the most likely place to find naturists.
But property prices in some of the country’s most picturesque coastal towns are falling due to their beaches being havens for nudists.
Research commissioned by estate and lettings agent Barrows and Forrester found houses near nudist beaches cost less than others in the wider area, with Fife being a stark example.
Lower Largo, a pretty fishing village in Fife, is best known for its stunning beach and for being the birthplace of 17th century sailor Alexander Selkirk, who inspired Daniel Defoe’s novel Robinson Crusoe.
However, the beach at Lower Largo is also a hotspot for naturists, with statistics showing houses there cost 36 per cent less than properties in the surrounding area.
Research commissioned by estate and lettings agent Barrows and Forrester found houses near nudist beaches cost less than others in the wider area, with Fife being a stark example. File photo of couple on nudist beach
The average house price in the Lower Largo area with the KY8 postcode – the area surrounding the nudist beach – currently stands at £107,297, while properties in the wider Fife region are priced on average at £168,324.
James Forrester, managing director of Barrows and Forrester, said: ‘If you go down to the beach today, you’re in for a big surprise, because house prices could well be much cheaper than you expect – but only if there is a nudist colony nearby.
‘Is this price deficit explained by our British aversion to public nudity? Or have our nudist friends been forced to find beaches away from major tourist hotspots?
‘Either way, this could be a neat little trick for homebuyers who are desperate to live in a coastal location, just so long as you don’t mind seeing more than you bargained for while walking the dog.’
The figures for Fife reveal a £61,027 difference in prices between properties at the Lower Largo nudist beach and the overall local authority. This trend continues UK-wide, with 25 of the 39 nudist beach postcodes analysed having below average house prices when compared to the wider council area.
Lower Largo, a pretty fishing village in Fife, (pictured) is best known for its stunning beach and for being the birthplace of 17th century sailor Alexander Selkirk, who inspired Daniel Defoe’s novel Robinson Crusoe
The results show that properties near nudist beaches are on average valued at £16,000 less than the surrounding area.
Of the postcodes examined, the biggest drops in prices were recorded in North Yorkshire and Westmorland and Furness.
While the average property in North Yorkshire is worth £283,687, this figure almost halves to £152,187 at houses near the nudist beach at Cayton Bay.
A drop of 46 per cent can also be seen at Westmorland and Furness, where properties near the naturist hotspot of West Shore, Walney Island, are priced at £121,332, compared to £223,577 in the overall local authority area.
Source: Read Full Article
