Cornish Horizons, part of Original Cottages, is one of Cornwall’s leading agencies, with over 850 cottages throughout the county in some of the best coastal and countryside locations. The company, that has offices in Looe, Fowey, Porthleven and St Ives, are the local experts in providing the best service to its homeowners.
Annabel Leach, Senior Property Recruiter joined the company in 2015 and in this article shares with us her top five tips for people who are thinking of investing in a holiday home in Cornwall.
1. Hotspots
Property in Cornwall’s tourist hot spots such as Padstow, Newquay and St Ives can be expensive because they are areas that tourists easily recognise and search for online. If you invest in a beautiful holiday cottage or stylish apartment in a popular tourist location it will likely serve you well. That said, the Cornish Horizons team at their Porthleven office, an up-and-coming tourist destination, are seeing Porthleven holiday homeowners with higher returns on their investment and better capital appreciation in recent times compared to properties in hot spot areas. Perhaps a smart move for investors with long-term goals to retire to their holiday home property, as securing the property now before prices are set to rise could serve you well.
2. Have an edge
The world of holiday homes in Cornwall is highly competitive but there’s great rewards to be had if your property has an edge. Properties where owners invest in hot tubs, log burners or open fires can often command higher prices and increase bookings that can easily cover the costs of the initial investment and installation. Cornish Horizons also see properties with off-street parking attracting more bookings as do those with character, privacy, and those within walking distance to community amenities like a local pub.
3. Do your research
When it comes to choosing your holiday letting agency, it’s important to ask where they advertise. For example, as a homeowner at Cornish Horizons you’ll see your property advertised on the agency’s website and national website, Original Cottages but also on popular bookings platforms including Airbnb, Snaptrip, and others that specifically target holiday makers in the UK and abroad.
4. How much could your property earn you
For those making the investment with a mortgage, holiday let mortgage providers will lend based on the income projection for the property. Be careful of holiday letting agencies that overestimate your earning potential to win the job of marketing/managing your property. Ask a few agencies for their advice to get a fair and well-rounded picture of the annual earning potential of your investment.
5. Flexibility is key
The growth of booking platforms such as Airbnb and HomeAway has been substantial in recent years. It’s also shifted customer behaviours towards the increased trend in short breaks. So, it’s important to be flexible with changeover dates and allowing short breaks.
Cornish Horizons wish you all the best with your investment!
For more information, contact Cornish Horizons on: Tel 01841 533 331 / email cottages@cornishhorizons.co.uk or visit cornishhorizons.co.uk
