Natalie There is no doubt about it. UK staycation holiday homes are dominating the tourism and real estate industries. As Brits change their habits and start holidaying at home, rather than abroad, they are also turning their attention towards property investment. For trends, buy-to-let’s are out. For owning a second home, investing in the UK market, and not other countries, provides familiarity and a whole host of other benefits.
While the concept of UK staycation rental homes has been around for quite a while, it gained traction in thanks to Brexit, but also as Brits eye up more leisure breaks and weekends away besides their annual summer holiday. The bonus is that many staycation home rentals are also dog-friendly, so your four-legged, furry friends do not have to go to kennels. So, let us look at the market in-depth, and what you need to know when buying a staycation holiday home.
Guide to UK Staycation Holiday Homes
Definition of a Staycation Holiday Home
The name means a vacation close to home, i.e. “stay” and “cation.” The bonus is that these vacations can be as often as you want. A staycation home makes the perfect overnight getaway to escape stress at work, is the ideal setting for a two-day kid’s birthday party and if you want his and her romantic getaway, choose a staycation home. But they are about a lot more than the actual property itself.
The whole point is leisure, indulgence, pleasure, and entertainment. Think of it as your sanctuary. The concept revolves around enjoying yourself, feeling peace and recharging your batteries. Hence many staycation homes sit on lifestyle residence complexes offering a variety of leisure pursuits like swimming pools, spas with beauty treatments, water activities like paddle boarding, and on-site restaurants and bars. Additionally, they are also located in tourism strongholds with many attractions and sites of interest.
Staycation Trends and Figures
Such is the popularity of staycation holidays; in 2019, Microsoft researched the topic. They say in 2018, 57% of the British population stayed at home, but estimates say this could grow to 69% in future years. They say movements like eco-tourism and Brexit are fuelling the new domestic holiday trend and local holidaymakers who are not as curious as overseas travellers, are driven by brand loyalty.
They also say five of the top ten holiday destinations for British holidaymakers are in the UK. Meanwhile, Barclays who also completed their research, says the national trend isn’t just confined to the older generations. Their stats say 25 to 34-year-olds are also increasing their UK holiday time. Convenience and cheaper costs are two reasons.
Why People love Staycations
1: Save Money – Holidaying abroad is not as cheap as it used to be. With the rise in the cost of flight tickets, thanks to extra taxes, luggage fees and waiting around at the airport, a family of four can soon eat through savings. Staying close to home is perfect for holidaymakers on a budget.
2: Go Local – As holidaying trends have changed, so have people’s belief in large corporations, and many people now believe that investing your money to small businesses is the way of the future. Staycation holidays in the UK bring you into contact with many small businesses, whether these are tea cafes, pubs, artist galleries or locally run excursion and activity companies.
3: Easy to Plan – A holiday abroad takes some planning whether this is researching weather trends, remembering to pack all the beach gear, or investigating what activities there are to keep the youngsters occupied. People love staycation holidays because they can just up and go at the drop of a hat, with a little planning.
4: Keep Your Holiday Leave: Everyone treasures their holiday leave time from work and want to make sure it is used wisely. However staycation homes can be used at Easter, Christmas, weekends, and days off, so everyone can have more holidays each year without tapping into the previous paid holiday leave.
5: Familiarity: Travelling abroad is great and a chance to learn about different cultures, food, and history, but for a relaxing weekend, familiarity is essential. By staying in the UK, language barriers are non existent, you do not have to navigate a foreign transport system and familiarity gives peace of mind.
6: Fewer Travelling Time: Save on travelling time by staying local. For example, holidaying in Turkey means flight times of 8 hours there and back from the UK. Also, add in travelling time to and from the airport on both sides and waiting durations at the airport gate. Staycation holidays eliminate this leaving you with more time to relax.
Why Buy a Holiday Home in the UK
There is something for everyone in the UK. The beautiful countryside evokes a need to get out and explore, whether this secluded villages, old manor houses, country lanes or to find an authentic British pub of which there are little left. Amateur photographers, lovers of the great outdoors, hikers, and trekkers all swear by the UK’s touristic and off the beaten track sites to see.
Then there are the history buffs, who love finding out about the rise and fall of monarchies, through palaces and stately homes, and museums. While festivals often honour something each region specialises in, like food. Indeed, the United Kingdom’s exciting activities draw millions of visitors each year. Whether this is exploring London, Leicester, the English countryside, or time-honoured favourites like Cornwall. Find some historical cities, take in the culture, or grab some culture in the form of literature.
The UK is also known for its water sports. If you are an athlete who loves to get into the water, you will love the UK holiday home market. Go for a fishing trip, or learn to sail on the open sea. Perhaps a weekend in a country pub, cycling holidays, or a two-day weekend breaks to a theme park is more your idea of fun.
Such is the diversity of the UK, everyone planning staycation retreats will find the perfect destination and leisure activities to fit their criteria and idea of fun. Likewise, whether you want a budget staycation or to push the boat out with luxury holidays, this is easily done.
What to Look for in a Staycation Home
Any staycation rental accommodation should offer every home comfort so you do not have to comprise on anything. They also come in the form of cottages, bungalows and holiday cottages. Additional extras to complete your holiday accommodation include sofa beds, hot tubs, or a cosy balcony / outdoor terrace area. Whether this has a lakeside, pool, or forest view, it is where you will enjoy meals, unwind, relax, and read, watch sunsets, or entertain.
Also look at kitchens. While most people imagine not cooking while they are on holiday, staycation homes still include decent sized kitchens so should you want to go down the self-catering route, you can. Last, since the whole concept is about enjoying yourself and having fun, look at the environment. What activities are on offer? Whether these are within the gated complex itself or outside like historical attractions, county pubs, or walking trails, make sure your new holiday home means you can pursue your hobbies and lifestyle pleasures.
3 Popular Staycation Destinations
Beautiful Cornwall: Hosting over 5 million visitors every year, Cornwall is an ideal location for anyone who wants to let out their holiday home for rental income. Sitting on the southwestern coast, it includes popular towns and villages like Newquay, the surfing haven, the famous Land’s End, Fowey, and Falmouth, and is an area of outstanding natural beauty.
Being a tourist hotspot, leisure activities feature in the daily social schedule, whether this is miles of beautiful beaches, water sports, exploring quaint British villages or indulging in the famous regional cuisine. Reached by road via the M4, M5 and M6, Cornwall also has its airport connecting it to the rest of the UK via low-cost airlines. Read more about Cornwall as a staycation destination.
The Isle of Wight: Sitting 1.2 miles off the southern coast, the Isle of Wight wins many awards for its beaches like Ventnor and Shanklin. As another popular UK holiday destination, it also delivers everything British from the local culture and food to historical attractions.
This small island revolves around the coastline of which there are 57 miles to soak up and enjoy, although other attractions include Needle Rocks and Lighthouse, horse riding, walking festivals, nature trails, the Isle of Wight zoo, vintage steam trains, and golf. The Isle of Wight encourages an outdoor lifestyle and a staycation home is the perfect place from which to do it. More about holidaying in the Isle of Wight.
Yorkshire: Nicknamed “Gods Own Country,” Yorkshire delivers everything and much more for a British getaway. As Britain’s largest historical country, it is also home to the iconic city of the same name, featuring Tudor houses, narrow cobbled streets, and the famed cathedral. Sitting in Northcentral England, it also has two national parks boosting its outdoor potential, and anyone looking to rent out has a market base of over 6 million tourists every year.
Popular places with Yorkshire include Wharfedale, Nidderdale, Craven, Ripon, Harrogate, Ilkley Moor, Bowland Forest and the Pennies. While the Yorkshire dales are home to many villages and scenic landscapes like Malham, and Bolton Abbey estate. Another feather in its cap is that Yorkshire is easy to get to, whether this is via Leeds Bradford airport, the M1, and M62 motorways, or train links. Find out why Yorkshire ticks all the boxes for a staycation holiday.
Letting Out Your Staycation Home
So, there are many reasons to buy a staycation home, but this trend is also fuelling holiday rental properties. More investors and landlords are now choosing staycation holiday lets over the more traditional buy-to-let properties which involve separate regulations, laws and tax rules. If you enter the holiday let market, don’t neglect the power of the internet.
A good website, Facebook presence, online reviews and a secure, automatic booking system are all essential tools to use. Sites like Airbnb who specialise in self-catering holidays provide these and take much of the work out of the rental market. You could also opt for a staycation home with a guaranteed rental income. See examples here of 2- and 3-bedroom holiday homes with an average 7% rental guarantee.
Find Out More: We are Spot Blue Property, and we have a wide selection of UK staycation holiday homes for sale. Call or email today, and we’ll send a portfolio of beautiful holiday properties via email. You can arrange for a viewing today or speak to a local advisor to answer questions you may have.
Also Read – UK’s Furnished holiday Let Market: In this article, we look at what is fuelling the holiday let market of the UK, and reasons proprietors are turning away from the traditional buy-to-let homes.
