Living in the West Country is many people’s dream. Retiring from the treadmill of full time work in the city to a life of peace and tranquillity by the coast or rural village is easier than you may imagine. Property prices is Devon are not at all high and surprisingly in many locations below the national average. Some may think that moving from the city to the seaside is a step too far. They think that they would miss the facilities provided by city living such as good public transport, theatres and restaurants. This need not be the case. The myth of being isolated in a small seaside town is just that, a myth. Take the small town of Dawlish on the south coast of Devon for example.
Dawlish has over a mile of beach and being sheltered from the prevailing westerly wind the sea is more often than not calm. There is a beautifully maintained open area in the centre of town with a babbling brook populated by water fowl including the famous black swans. These are the main attractions for tourists but what about if you want to settle there. The town has a theatre albeit not open every night. There are more than adequate facilities including a brand new Sainsbury’s supermarket and numerous pubs and restaurants. But compare Dawlish to a suburb of London like Wandsworth. Dawlish has a railway station with one of the best views over the sea of any station in the country. The line runs right along the coast and it is like taking a mini break just boarding a train. There are regular services to Exeter, Newton Abbot and Torquay all for less than £3.50 return off peak. That is better than a single ticket from Garrett Lane to Waterloo, and there are no views to be had on that line! There are also regular bus services again to Exeter and newton Abbot for those who have more time and like to exercise the senior citizen’s bus pass.
Exeter is a very vibrant city with just about every conceivable amenity. Shops, harbourside bars, libraries, hospitals. You name it Exeter will have it. Torquay also has all you could wish for including a beautiful harbour and marina set in a background scene that could rival Monaco. Just standing on the harbourside but the pavement cafes looking up at the surrounding hills and buildings gives the impression you are in the South of France.
Torbay is a mecca for those wanting to take to the water. The water is sheltered and there is a fascinating coastline nearby including the world famous Dartmouth and Brixham, both with excellent nautical facilities. There are marinas in Torquay, Brixham, Dartmouth and Exmouth plus numerous small coves and inlets in which to drop anchor for lunch. Boat ownership to many may feel out of reach but really it is not that expensive. A reasonable size sailing yacht that would sleep four can be bought for about the same price as a caravan and boats hold their value unlike cars. Finding a mooring can be pricey particularly if you are looking for a marina berth. However, swinging moorings on the river Exe can cost as little as £200 a year!
So what is stopping you? It has never been such a good time to move to South Devon. You will feel like you are living in the South of France with all the facilities of a large city close to hand and all for a lot less than you may think is realistically possible. It is likely that you will have enough left over to buy that all important boat and really start to enjoy life! Should you decide to make the leap to Devon then we here at Cockrams Surveying are on hand to help you by providing you with a thorough survey of the property you would like to buy. We have good local knowledge and years of experience of residential surveying. We like boats too but leave marine surveys to the specialists!
If you are looking for a reliable surveyor in Devon, contact Cockram Surveyors Devon representative Bob on 07772 480665 at:
14 Plantation Terrace
Dawlish
Devon
EX7 9DR
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