NORTH Berwick has been revealed as Scotland’s most expensive seaside town in a recent study conducted by Halifax.
The Halifax Seaside Town Review is a yearly study that tracks 191 seaside towns across the UK, comparing their average house prices as well as their year-on-year changes in price.
North Berwick had an average house price of £391,781, making it the most expensive seaside town to live in in Scotland based on average property prices.
The town beat the ‘home of golf’ St Andrews into second place, with average house prices of £374,406.
North Berwick was also recently named as one of the best towns in Scotland to live in the Sunday Times’ best place to live guide.
Dunbar and Musselburgh also made it into the top 10, finishing fourth and fifth respectively with average prices of £247,887 and £227,425.
Cockenzie was also highlighted in the study for having one of the fastest-rising house prices in the entire UK.
Over the last five years, the average house price in Cockenzie has risen 46 per cent to £202,928, a growth of £63,965.
Musselburgh also made this list, with a 44 per cent rise in house prices over a five-year period.
The most expensive seaside town in the entire UK was Sandbanks in Dorset, with an average price of £929,187.
Russell Galley, managing director, Halifax, said: “Our ongoing love affair with living by the sea shows few signs of abating.
"Homes on the coast have long attracted a premium price and this was no different in 2021, with the move towards working from home being an ongoing influence in where people choose to live.
"The average seaside home cost £287,087, up eight per cent on the previous year.
"Whether it’s a lifestyle sought, the scenery or the sea air, when it comes to buying home we really do love to be beside the seaside. The biggest beneficiary of that desire last year was Millport on the Scottish island of Great Cumbrae, and over the last five years it was Port Bannatyne on the Isle of Bute.
“The seaside towns that attract the highest prices overall are dominated by locations across the south coast, with Sandbanks in Dorset taking the title of most expensive seaside town from last year’s winner, Salcombe in Devon. Both towns have average house prices of over £900,000.”
The top 10 in Scotland was as follows:
- North Berwick (£391,781)
- St Andrews (£374,406)
- Anstruther (£250,745)
- Dunbar (£247,887)
- Musselburgh £227,425)
- Stonehaven (£224,624)
- West Kilbride (£221,086)
- Dalgety Bay £218,735)
- Helensburgh (£215,104)
- Skelmorlie (£204,741)
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