House Prices Higher in Spa Towns

With higher than average prices in their region, and a better overall quality of life, spa towns are more in demand than ever, according to research from the Halifax. All 18 spa towns have higher prices than average for their area, and 16 out of 18 have higher house prices than the neighbouring towns in their county. Spa towns tend to rank highly for key drivers of the quality of life, says the Estate Agent branch of the Halifax, with larger houses than average, and higher owner-occupier rates. Epsom in Surrey is the most expensive spa town, followed by Tunbridge Wells in Kent, and Boston Spa in West Yorkshire, the research shows, while the least expensive are Llanddrindod and Builth Wells respectively. But the ten best performing spa towns over the past five years are all outside the south of England, while three of the five with the smallest house price increases have been within the South of England. "Spa towns are clearly popular with home buyers, with their prices usually trading at a premium,' says Colin Kemp, Managing Director at Halifax Estate Agents. 'It is also interesting that Welsh spa towns are seeing keen interest, with the average house price in Builth Wells in Powys rising by nearly 150% over the past five years.'