An influx of new permanent residents since the pandemic ‘has changed the dynamic for many towns in Cornwall’, says Black Brick.
Young professionals are “flocking” to the West Country, says buying agency Black Brick – which set up a Coast & Country division earlier this year to tap into the movement.
“The world has changed since the pandemic; from 2021 we’ve experienced a huge influx of professionals moving to the country,” explains Anna Sharp who heads up Black Brick in Cornwall. “For many ‘working from home or ‘#wfh’ was a phrase we had never even heard of before let alone thinking that it was an option. The world opened up, as did opportunities for many.”
While Sharp flags particular interest from younger professionals in tech, consultancy and creative industries, Rupert Stephenson – who leads BB searches in Devon, Dorset and Somerset – flags rising interest from more middle-aged relocators. “We are getting more and more enquiries from clients in their 40s, 50s & 60s who have moved down to the West Country permanently from places like Oxfordshire, Kent, London and Surrey,” he says.
One symptom of this is “much busier roads over the winter months,” says Stephenson, while Sharp says Cornish hotspots such as Penzance, Penryn, and Newquay “have never felt more alive”, as more permanent residents move in.
Mayfair-based Black Brick was set up by Camilla Dell in 2007, and has become one of the best-known and successful buying agencies in prime London and the Home Counties. Speaking about the move into the West Country in March, Dell told PrimeResi she plans to expand Black Brick services into other parts of the UK this year.
Anna Sharp, Black Brick in Cornwall: “The world has changed since the pandemic; from 2021 we’ve experienced a huge influx of professionals moving to the country. For many ‘working from home or ‘#wfh’ was a phrase we had never even heard of before let alone thinking that it was an option. The world opened up, as did opportunities for many.
“Many young professionals whether they work in tech, consultancy, or in the creative industry, to name a few, now can have a fantastic career or run a successful business in parts of the world they never thought were possible. Who would have thought you could wake up in the morning and go for a surf or a yoga lesson on the beach before work whilst being able to be online ready to work by 9am, coffee in hand, working from many of Cornwall’s fantastic working spaces?
“This has changed the dynamic for many towns in Cornwall, with the gentrification and development of areas such as Penzance, Penryn, and Newquay to name a few. Coffee shops have sprung up creating co-working spaces, yoga studios, creative hubs, and workshops; all of which appeal to Millennials and Gen Z. These areas of Cornwall have never felt more alive, creating a very exciting time to be living in a place I am lucky to call home.
“Many families and early retirees are still looking to relocate to the south west and demand remains strong, with many families searching for ‘the good life’, whereby their children can grow up near coastal or country environments. Typically, this demographic of buyer keeps a smaller property in the city and commutes a few days a week whilst they have for a larger home in the country with space and good schooling nearby as their main home.”
Rupert Stephenson, Black Brick in Devon, Dorset & Somerset: “We are getting more and more enquiries from clients in their 40s, 50s & 60s who have moved down to the West Country permanently from places like Oxfordshire, Kent, London and Surrey. They can work remotely now from almost anywhere in the world since Covid and there is often secondary accommodation which enables clients to have a really good second income from holiday lets or glamping opportunities on site. It’s now far more acceptable to work away from the office and, with such a good communications network in the West Country these days (fast fibre was installed almost everywhere a few years ago and Starlink fills in the gaps on remote places like Dartmoor, you can get 300mbs and 4/5G almost everywhere now), you can be sitting on your boat in the harbour or on a beach or a cafe and still be working (as I am now actually!!).
“With the West Country still offering relatively good value for money compared to London, Home Counties, and the Midlands, it kind of makes sense to cash in and move further afield for a more healthy, vibrant lifestyle, away from the traffic and the daily grind, to live the dream – there’s a wonderful food culture with Michelin star restaurants and gastro pubs, the beaches are world-class, the schools are top quality and there is plenty to do in the winter, country walks, rural sports and sophisticated cities like Bath, Exeter and Truro to visit.
“Interestingly, I have really noticed how much busier the roads are over the winter months here in the West Country in recent years since Covid, bearing testament to just how many main homeowners have moved here in recent years. Some of them already had second homes they have moved into permanently, others have followed and moved ‘lock, stock and barrel’ – when we did it 15 years ago people thought we were mad – not anymore!”
