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Inheritance tax (IHT) changes could penalise older homeowners and create a form of “social engineering” for downsizers, a buying agent has warned.

Sarah and her husband Jack live in a leafy part of south-west London, own a holiday home on Spain’s Costa Brava and send their two young daughters to private schools. They work hard – Sarah is in PR and Jack is a cryptocurrency trader – and are well paid. Yet they want out of the UK.

The phones of London’s high-end estate agents have been ringing overnight. Enquiries from anti-Trump Americans to rent trophy homes on London’s most prestigious streets started to come in during the early hours of Wednesday morning as a Donald Trump victory seemed inevitable. 

Tilly Bagshawe, 51, and her husband Robin Nydes, 67, are in a race against time to complete the sale of their £2.85 million “dream” Cotswolds second home.

London’s most expensive homes are having a tough time selling, with both demand and deals down.

Second homes have never been so popular. Before lockdown, just 3 per cent of Britons had a retreat in the countryside or the coast – somewhere to recharge the batteries.

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.

Investing in property is a daunting process that is both meticulous and time-consuming. From exterior to interior and everything in between, all of the changes and intricate details of your house contribute to the big jar of property value.

At one time, the £32 million ($42 million) deal for a home in the trendy Notting Hill district would’ve raised few eyebrows among London’s high-end brokers, who have seen dozens of similar purchases over the past decade. But amid a slump in luxury transactions this year, the sale stood out — as did the nationality of the buyer: he’s American.

Once the preserve of the wealthiest, these specialists are now being sought out across the property spectrum.

Listed homes are worth 50 per cent more on average than unlisted ones — but buyers should be aware of the extra costs involved and hidden dangers.

Our Regional Director for Cornwall, Anna Sharp offers her thoughts to The Times to share her expertise on which particular seaside towns home hunters should be looking at to buy in 2024.