Property choice

[larrythelabrador]

Need some opinions please

If you had the choice of buying a pair of 2 bedroom barn conversions in the countryside about 6 miles from the coast or a 3 bedroom cottage with sea views & 1/4 mile walk to coast path, which would you think is the best potential business option?

Both in Westcountry.

Thanks.

[charles cawley]

It depends on the costs and return on capital and many other factors.

My gut feeling is for the one closer to the coast... assuming both have exactly the same standard of internals.

The cottage market is going to get very tough in the next few years so the USP (as in choice between the two) of being close to the coast will become that much more significant leading to higher occupancy.

But, whatever you do, it is absolutely essential to ensure a top quality interior. The market for quality will always be there dependent only on the price.

Low quality can easily become unsellable at any price.

[KathyG]

I'd go for the sea view one too!

[French Cricket]

As long as the sea view cottage's sea view is safe from ghastly development in the future, I'd go for that one too, I think.

Which one do pulls at you, larrythelabrador? It might be a business proposition but you'll sell it much better if you love it!

[Nemo]

Coast for me too, but will the revenue of 1 x 3 bed bring in as much or more than 2 x 2 beds in the country? Hmmm.....wouldn't think so somehow.

I'm expect you may well get less bookings in the countryside but not 50% less. So the question becomes are you doing it purely for the money or do other factors drive this decision?

[larrythelabrador]

Thank you
The 2 barn cottages are finished to a very good standard, they are however going to cost me 30K more than the cottage which needs updating, I reckon that if I spend 25K on it I can get a really top quality finish. I realise that it won't generate double the income of the other two if they were fully booked, but that is unlikely I guess
My gut instinct is that the cottage will be easier to let.
If I go ahead you'll be hearing a lot more from me

[larrythelabrador]

I have another option to consider now, a property that I was outbid on, but turns out they couldn't raise the cash

What does everyone think of the potential for a pair of very high standard 1 bedroom barn conversions 1 mile from the coast & having underfloor heating, solar panels & all the eco bells & whistles?

[Giddy Goat]

That last option sounds very good to me Larry; I suspect the market for properties sleeping two are very limited but since I'm not really familiar with it I stand to be corrected.

[Badger]

I think you are limiting your options to couples only with 1 bed properties and as it is inland also I can't really see the advantages of that over the other 2 properties you are interested in
Green and eco as it may be, I don't think that would have any influence on whether I would choose it for a holiday.
Nearer the sea the better for me!

[French Cricket]

Hmm. Not sure I agree that going for the couples market is limiting. If you're travelling as a twosome it can be very difficult finding really good quality properties - you either have to upsize and pay for bedrooms that you're not going to use, or put up with tiny places with not enough room to swing a cat.

We targeted the couples market when we were in Norfolk, and are doing so again here, probably because neither of us have children or could ever contemplate going on holiday with anyone else (I'm sure it's reciprocal ) and we assume that there are others around like us (all the feedback we get suggests that there are). So for my money, high quality, spacious barn conversions could - if you market them correctly - be a winner. And the eco bells and whistles will help, definitely.