A success story: how this couple earn £60k 'pure profit' from their UK holiday let
Seaglass is a very special south Cornish house. Its coastal-chic interiors and wonderful location, perched directly over the Atlantic on Whitsand Bay, are instantly appealing. More notable is the income it earns.
Last year the one-bedroom property of just 376sq ft earned a staggering £125,000 gross, turning a pure profit of £60,600 after all taxes, rental management costs, maintenance, insurance and housekeeping.
Its owners Adam and Katherine Wooler bought the derelict chalet and its large plot in 2013, obtained permission for a new-build home and created Seaglass.
The timber building has full-length bifold doors on two sides to maximise uninterrupted sea views and a large deck to watch the night sky.
The build’s eco-credentials merited a gold award from Green Business Tourism. Katherine, 44, a professional garden designer and keen cook, planted the gardens and worked with a designer from rental experts Unique Home Stays on the compact interior. She chose Fired Earth glass mosaic tiles, cow parsley stencilling and a fully fitted kitchen.
Seaglass opened for its first rental on New Year’s Eve 2013 and has been pretty much full ever since, achieving an average 44 weeks each year. The couple only rent through Unique Home Stays, which has been instrumental in securing this high level of bookings, says Adam, 52.
“Seaglass has everything from the largest plot on the cliff to a hot tub and heated outdoor shower but location is key,” he says.
“Guests are spellbound by the 180-degree view where the sun sets into the sea. Whitsand Bay still retains the charm and rustic appeal of a small Cornish community.”
Adam became a local lifeguard while at Plymouth University, later joining the RNLI in Poole, first as head of lifeguards, then becoming head of coastal safety.
With Katherine and their daughter Ella-Rose, five, he toured New Zealand for two months, fell in love with its natural beauty and strong community spirit and took a job as chief operating officer with Surf Life Saving New Zealand.
Miles Kevin, of estate agent Chartsedge, acknowledges the 14 per cent gross rental Seaglass earns is exceptional — but says it’s not unique.
“The ideal Cornish rental pad should have a sea view and be walking distance from a beach, close to all amenities with a good local pub within two miles,” he says.
“It should be kitted out and decorated to the highest standards and needs flexible accommodation that works for families in summer, yet is cosy for romantic breaks in winter.”
Seaglass is now on the market for £850,000 through Chartsedge. “We are reluctant to sell Seaglass but our new life, home and business are in New Zealand,” says Adam.
GORGEOUS LITTLE EARNERS
The Cotswolds
The caramel-coloured stone houses of the Cotswolds attract weekenders all year round, with many choosing to rent for longer periods.
Popular villages include Swinbrook, Southrop and those close to Soho Farmhouse in Chipping Norton and Daylesford organic farm near Kingham, says Vanessa Carter, head of lettings at Butler Sherborn’s Burford office.
“Spacious, well-presented three- to five-bedroom family houses that rent from £2,000 a month are snapped up as soon as they become available.
The market for smaller Cotswolds cottages also holds firm. Landlords’ returns have stayed fairly constant for several years at around three per cent net.”
Manor Farm and Enever House, both substantial Grade II-listed homes in a small village two miles from Bourton, are both for sale at £895,000. Two-bedroom Honeypot Cottage in a small village south of Burford is £360,000.
This cathedral city is a sailing hotspot and its surrounding villages are close enough to London for an easy weekend getaway — yet rural enough for a complete change of pace.
There are sailing clubs at Itchenor, Bosham, Emsworth and Hayling Island, with walks on the South Downs and traditional bucket-and-spade holidays.
West Wittering has one of the south coast’s best sandy beaches while East Wittering attracts windsurfers.
“The coastline south and west of Chichester has a wonderful variety of sailing, surfing and fishing locations and those golden beaches ensure a steady stream of holiday home buyers each year,” says Paul Machell from Strutt & Parker in Chichester.
“There is huge demand for rentals, especially around local events such as Cowes Week, Goodwood and the Festival of Speed. Many buyers with a second home here rent their properties through Airbnb with great success.”