Out to Sea
View out towards the mouth of the Dart
Looking to Invest in a Holiday Home?
With breathtaking views over the River Dart, award-winning beaches close by and fabulous restaurants serving locally caught fish, once you have visited Dartmouth you may not wish to leave! Whilst some dream of moving permanently to this beautiful area, others specifically book a holiday in order to search for the perfect holiday home to buy.
We regularly speak to holidaymakers staying in our properties who are considering purchasing a property in the South Hams as a holiday home or an investment, often with the thought of moving permanently to the area in the future. Many have identified potential properties and pre-arranged estate agent viewings, whilst others may be more impulsive but a good number go on to purchase a property at some time.
All are looking for our advice regarding the potential weekly rental and the anticipated number of letting weeks per year, plus the property’s letting history if applicable. Others wish to discuss the merits of different properties and their suitability for letting. We advise that location, position, standard and key requirements, such as parking, are important but it is vital that the property suits the purchaser and their plans – is it a holiday home they will use themselves or is the purchase purely an investment?
Once on the South Hams property ladder, some owners will look to buy additional or alternative properties, perhaps larger or a more sought after location with better views or just to add to their portfolio. Often the original property is sold onto owners who, in turn, wish to let their property through us.
Being locally based and knowing the letting market so well, we also regularly suggest properties to those looking to purchase, resulting in successful sales and satisfied property owners.
An owner even came into our Salcombe office to discuss buying an additional property and was so impressed with the letting potential of a suggested property in Dartmouth that he drove straight over and quickly put in an offer!
So what makes a good holiday property in Dartmouth? With over 130 holiday properties in our Dartmouth portfolio, we market properties of all shapes and sizes and to suit a range of budgets, but a good view is always highly sought after. If this also comes with somewhere to sit and enjoy the view, such as a balcony or outside terrace, this increases the popularity. As a parking space is often a key decision making factor when booking a holiday property in Dartmouth, this is a highly valuable asset to any holiday home.
Increasingly, customers are looking for so much more from their accommodation, the standards offered and also the facilities provided, so bearing this in mind when buying a property is important. Contemporary kitchens and bathrooms, plus gadgets such as flat screen TV’s, Sky and broadband access are now often expected in the middle of the range holiday properties.
Additional equipment such as baby friendly facilities plus welcoming touches such as flowers, chocolates or a bottle of wine can lead to repeat bookings and a more successful letting programme. All properties joining the agency must achieve a minimum 4 star VisitBritain standard – we advise our property owners how this can be achieved and are delighted that so many of our properties have been awarded the coveted Gold standard, with several receiving the highest 5 Star Gold.
If you are thinking of letting a property or considering buying one to let, beware of financial planning based on unrealistically high expectations of the number of letting weeks you will achieve, particularly in the first year.
A successful letting programme often does happen in the first year but building up repeat visits takes time to establish. Seek the opinions of several different holiday letting companies, look at their local profile, their marketing and their services and, above all, go with the one you feel most comfortable with. A good relationship between owner and agent really contributes to success.
For more details about letting your holiday home, including tips and suggestions for preparing your property for letting, visit www.coastandcountry.co.uk or request a copy of our free Owners Guide. Or call 01803 839499 to arrange a free property visit without any obligation or ‘hard sell’.
First Published August 2011 By The Dart
