Isle of Wight ranks as most affordable sun-seeking hotspot for homebuyers

The latest research from over-50s property specialists, Regency Living, reveals that in the UK’s sunniest county, homebuyers are paying an average of £835 for every minute of daily sunshine.

For some homebuyers, living in a place that offers warm weather and sunshine is a significant priority. But Regency Living’s analysis of Met Office weather data and UK house price data* shows buyers who are determined to live in a sunny spot are probably going to have to pay for the privilege.

The UK’s sunshine hotspots

The sunniest county in the UK is the Isle of Wight. Between 1991 and 2020, the Isle of Wight, located off the south coast of England, enjoyed an average of 5 hours 08 minutes of unobstructed sunshine each day, making it the only UK county to surpass the five hour mark.

With a current average house price of £257,170, this means that buyers in the Isle of Wight are paying the equivalent of £835 for every hour of daily sunshine.

While this may sound expensive, it’s actually a sun-drenched steal compared to the overall UK average.

On average, the UK enjoys just 3 hours 48 minutes of daily sunshine, and has an average house price of £271,415. This means buyers are paying £1,190 for every minute of sun.

In the second-sunniest county of Kent, which averages 4 hours 47 minutes of sunshine and has an average house price of £351,665, homebuyers are paying £1,225 per hour of sun.

In East Sussex (4 hours 46 minutes of sunshine), homebuyers are paying £1,141 per minute, while next door in West Sussex (4 hours 42 minutes of sunshine), they’re paying £1,352.

Some like it hot

Setting sunshine aside for the minute, Regency Living has also analysed average temperature data* to see which UK places enjoy the most days of hot weather.

London averages 34 days a year on which the temperature surpasses 25°C. With an average house price of £552,073, this means buyers are paying the equivalent of £16,237 for every hot day.

In Cambridgeshire, the mercury passes 25°C on an average of 32 days per year. With an average house price of £343,066, buyers today are paying £10,721 for each one of these hot days.

In Surrey (30 days), buyers are paying £17,544 per day, while in Essex and Hertfordshire – both of which average 29 hot days per year – buyers are paying £12,436 and £16,011 per day respectively.

Sales & Marketing Director at Regency Living, Tim Simmons said, “In the UK, finding a location that boasts plentiful hot and sunny weather is easier said than done – even in our warmest areas, the weather can be described as changeable at best. However, we are not completely starved of hot summers, so for homebuyers who consider good weather a priority, many of whom are silver downsizers who want a warm spot in which to enjoy their retirement, there are a number of options on the table.

The problem facing sun-seeking buyers, however, is that the best weather is confined very much to the south of the UK which is also where house prices are, on average, at their highest.

That’s one of the reasons we’ve seen consistent growth in demand for park homes. They provide quality detached homes in some of the country’s most desirable southern hotspots.

Park homes are particularly in-demand among silver downsizers because they don’t just promise great, manageable properties, they’re also located in safe, secure communities of friends and neighbours who are all of a similar age.”