Richard Speedy
Senior Director
The West Country is seeing a springtime rise in demand. But what is attracting people to this beautiful area of the country?
The West Country – from Penzance to Poole – is fast becoming the in-demand place to buy with record figures from Strutt & Parker.
The facts don’t lie…
Much of the rise in demand for homes in the South West comes from outside the region. Strutt & Parker figures show that expats buying in the region increased from 2.3% in 2015, to 6.3% in 2016, while second homeowners have increased from 14.5% in 2025 to 19.8% in 2016.
This has led to predictions of house price growth between 2016 and 2020 to be around 14.2% – a higher rate than the East Midlands (11.8%), West Midlands (10.8%), Scotland, Wales and the North. In fact, it’s the 4th highest rate in the country.
Strutt & Parker’s Housing Futures research found there is a huge aspiration to live in the South West – with 15.6% of respondents who plan to move within the next 5 years wanting to live in this region.
The West Country’s market is roughly divided into three categories:
- Country properties bought by people moving from the Home Counties looking to escape the rat race
- More expensive homes sold to people from the south-east of the country
- Waterside properties, which tend to be sold as second homes, with a majority of purchasers from London, the south-east and the Midlands.
The regional hotspots are around the Exe and Teign Valleys. These are ideal areas for buyers looking to be close to Exeter but with the countryside setting. Those looking to live within 15 miles of Exeter will be faced with slightly more expensive homes, but it’s arguably worth it for the accessibility. Other places to look include the likes of Topsham, Exton, Lympstone and Exmouth.
What’s behind the demand?
Oliver Custance-Baker, Associate from Strutt & Parker Exeter, says it’s down to two simple factors – sensibly priced homes and out-of-area buyers.
Over 50% of out-of-area buyers come from London and the South East, with a good handful from the Midlands. These can be downsizers or ‘my-sizers’, looking for a smaller lifestyle purchase, or second home buyers attracted by the region’s good links to London and the easy access to the coast.
Families are also drawn to the West Country because of the good schools – Sherbourne Girls, for example, attracts lots of families looking for good sized homes with a few acres.
Villages are also at the top of buyers’ wish lists thanks to their sense of community, quality village pubs, and regular community events like fates, markets and even supper clubs. Last year’s Housing Futures report predicted the trend of people moving back to villages.
Good sized properties with annexes or barns ready to convert are also in high demand as more people are looking to make an income from letting out holiday cottages.
Richard Speedy, Head of Strutt & Parker Exeter, says that city and waterside properties remain key to growth in the West Country with villages along the Exe Estuary a hotspot. They are already sought after, but more and more ‘lifestyle buyers’, who want to be close to Exeter and on or close to the water, are looking around here.
Isabel Clifton, Associate at Strutt & Parker Exeter, adds that a lack of housing stock and high demand from buyers has been driving sales in Exeter city. The most desirable price bracket is the middle sector where houses are selling very well, particularly between £350,000 and £850,000.
Competition for houses in this price range is fierce in Exeter as young professionals and young families upsizing or coming out of rented accommodation jostle to secure a longer term home. It also makes Exeter a safe haven for the investment or buy-to-let market.
Exeter also has the added benefit of being in the top 10 for digital connectivity and is delivering more new houses than any other town or city except Peterborough, Cambridge and Telford.
Spring in its step
The region has also been given a boost by spring and Easter shoppers. Richard Speedy says the traditional time for selling country houses has always been the spring. Though these days, this has moved even earlier with many sellers opting to get ahead of the game in February and early March.
Spring is a great time to sell as many properties – especially those with large gardens – are looking their best. The sun is out, leaves are on the trees and gardens are in bloom. And buyers tend to have a positive mind-set at this time of year.
Easter and bank holidays also give people more time to look on the internet and make appointments to view. The Easter weekend is typically a crucial point in the housing market where more transactions are expected as deals started rolling in during May.
View our selection of homes in the West Country.