It’s no surprise for anyone with a passing interest in Brighton property or the changing demographic of our city that so many Londoners should choose Brighton as a home. After all this is a London By The Sea. Brighton has long attracted all kinds of waifs and strays moving here to take advantage of the city’s liberal attitudes, passion for the arts, and good old seaside fun. What has been noticeable in recent years is the huge surge in Londoners choosing Brighton mainly for the reason that it is relatively affordable – with a huge emphasis on the word relatively. For most Brightonians the idea that Brighton & Hove is affordable is laughable but compared to the inflated prices in the capital it’s a chance for many Londoners to buy a home.
Eighteen months ago, we looked at some statistics here at Q and discovered that forty percent of our sales were to buyers relocating from London. The market has changed somewhat in the time since then but that figure is estimated to still be in excess of 20%. More remarkable perhaps is the news this month that 30,000 properties have been bought nationally by London leavers in the first half of 2018, with 38% of these being bought in the South East. That’s a rise of 16% on the same period last year (and 61% increase since 2008) which demonstrates that even in a slower market the appetite for Londoners making the move to the South Coast is healthier than ever.
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