Cornwall house hunting surges thanks to stunning G7 pics
The number of people searching for a property in Carbis Bay, Cornwall, has doubled in a day thanks to pictures from the G7 summit.
According to figures from the UK’s biggest property website Rightmove (RMV.L), buyer searches for the area were up 103% on Wednesday 9 June compared with the previous day.
The coastal village, which is hosting the summit, has an average asking price of more than £384,000, around 6% higher than a year ago.
This is more than £50,000 higher than the Cornwall average of £331,665, however some beachside homes in the county are currently for sale up to £3m.
Rightmove said that Cornwall maintained its position as the most searched for place on its platform in May, after overtaking London earlier this year. Back in February, Cornwall replaced the capital as the most searched-for place on Rightmove as fewer people were looking to move into the city amid a rise in remote working.
The company added that over the past week, searches for popular seaside locations such as West Wittering in Sussex (up 43%) have risen as people are longing to move to near the sea.
Watch: How much money do I need to buy a house?
Norfolk made it into the top 10 for the first time since 2017. In February 2020, before the pandemic started, Norfolk was in sixteenth place however it is now at position eight. The average asking price of a home in the county is £285,400.
Dorset, another coastal county, also made the top 10 list, climbing from position 20 in February last year to number nine last month. The average asking price of a home in Dorset is £371,242.
“All eyes are on Carbis Bay right now, and with supply so limited, coupled with the price premium for the county and the fast pace of sales, it’s only a lucky few who will be able to move there, but thousands of others are checking out what’s on offer,” Rightmove’s property expert Tim Bannister said.
“With the sun finally coming out in Britain over the past week people have been using their holidays as a time to find out what’s for sale in a number of tourist locations, and some will decide that now is the time to make a move to live beside the sea.
“Interest from potential buyers in coastal areas has increased significantly over the past year, with Cornwall now the most searched for place on Rightmove, and there are a large group of people considering a coastal relocation for a different lifestyle.”
Read more: The G7 summit: What you need to know
The Group of Seven countries brings together some of the world’s richest democracies - the UK, US, Canada, Japan, France, Germany and Italy, along with representatives of the EU.
World leaders have been arriving this week to discuss topics such as global coronavirus vaccinations and climate change.
It is the first time the leaders have come together in almost two years due to the coronavirus pandemic. The gathering also marks Joe Biden’s first overseas visit as US president since entering the Oval Office in January.
Last month the UK government confirmed that the summit will go ‘green’ this year, complying with the internationally recognised quality standard for sustainable events management.
Sustainability measures being used for the summit include emphasis on local and seasonal produce in the catering, with priority given to sourcing produce and goods within 100 miles of Carbis Bay. This also includes recycled stationery, hand-carved table and natural soap.
As well as commissioning Cornish companies to provide local and sustainable products, the summit will also use sustainable energy sources and cleaner fuels like HVO (hydrotreated vegetable oil) instead of diesel for any onsite generators.
Event organisers are also working to ensure the summit is free from single-use plastic wherever possible.
Watch: World leaders meet for the first day of the G7 Summit
