National park house prices and where you can find a homebuyer bargain

The latest research from lettings and estate agent, Benham and Reeves, has revealed the cost of buying in and around 15 national parks and which of them offer a homebuyer bargain.

Benham and Reeves looked at: –

• The average property costs across all postcodes within or straddling the UK’s 15 national parks.
• What it currently costs to buy across each park as a whole and how it compares to the national average.
• The difference between the most and least expensive postcodes within the same national park.

The figures found that on average, it will set you back £267,817 to buy in a national park, 16% more than the current UK house price.

The New Forest is home to the highest national park house price (£425,738) coming in at a whopping 84% higher than the UK average. The South Downs ranks second with an average price of £423,982; 83% higher than the UK average.

No surprise then, that these two national parks are also home to the majority of the most expensive postcodes. The top 29 to be exact, with SA42 in Pembrokeshire the only other postcode within the top 30 most expensive.

That doesn’t mean you can’t find pockets of affordability however. On average, the house price gap between the most affordable and least affordable postcode across all parks is 139%.

The Brecon Beacons is home to the largest gap between the most affordable and least affordable postcodes. There is a 263% difference between the CF44 postcode (£109,687) and the NP8 postcode (£398,125).

While the New Forest ranks as the least affordable overall, its PO1 postcode is home to an average property price of just £207,731. So not only is it cheaper than the UK average, but it’s 254% more affordable than the New Forest’s SO42 postcode (£735,158) at the other end of the ladder.

For overall affordability, Snowdonia is home to the lowest average national park house price (£188,001), along with Loch Lomond (£190,540) and the Brecon Beacons.

Snowdonia’s LL41 postcode is also the cheapest of all national park postcode property prices at £101,708. With G83 in Loch Lomond (£102,306) and CF44 in the Brecon Beacons (£109,687) also ranking amongst the most affordable pockets.

Director of Benham and Reeves, Marc von Grundherr, commented:

“Staycations look to be on the menu for most this summer, but if you’re planning on making the move a permanent one then living in or around one of our beautiful national parks could be a wise move.

While these areas understandably come with a price premium, that doesn’t mean you have to pay above the odds for the privilege of calling them home. Like all areas of the UK market, prices can vary from one pocket to the next and there are some considerable savings on offer even in the same national parks.

Take the New Forest for example. It may be the most expensive on the whole and the least affordable areas will set you back over £700,000. However, opting for a different part of the park can save you over £500,000 while still enjoying the benefits of a national park.”