A TINY beach hut has gone on the market for an eye-watering sum of nearly half a million pounds – and it comes with one big catch.
The wooden cabin which measures just 10ft by 16ft comes with a price tag of £450,000, the price of a five-bed house in some parts of the country, and it doesn’t even face the sea.
7
7
7
7
While the hut was built on the exclusive Mudeford sandbank in Christchurch Harbour, Dorset, just three years ago it doesn’t have mains electricity or washing facilities, although it does come with a chemical toilet.
Although small it can sleep up to seven people and has a kitchen area, with a cooker connected to a Calor gas bottle and the fridge is powered by solar panels on the roof.
It comes with a mezzanine floor space for sleeping, double glazed doors and windows and a decked terrace, providing views of the habour.
The new owners will have to use the communal shower block if they want to freshen up.
Mudeford is reportedly home to the most expensive beach huts in the country, Dorset Live reports.
A hut is said to have privately changed hands last year for more than £500,000, a new record.
The remote location of Mudeford is said to be a big attraction for potential buyers.
Cars are not allowed and it is only accessible either by a 20-minute walk, a ride on a novelty land train or a short ferry crossing.
Most read in Money
Hut 222 faces Christchurch Harbour and is situated closer to the Hengistbury Head end of the sandy spit.
The local family who have owned the hut for the past four years have put it up for sale because they weren’t getting enough use out of it.
While it is being marketed for offers over £425,000, the estate agents handling the sale believe it will go for at least £45,000.
For the same amount of money, it is possible to buy a five-bedroom detached house in North Yorkshire.
Andrew Denison, from the estate agents Denisons, said that although the market for beach huts had settled down from last year, demand is still strong.
He said: “We have a healthy list of people wanting to buy a hut at Mudeford and that is why we have priced it at offers over £425,000.
“If two or three people come in for it then we will discuss and decide with the owners which offer to take but I could see a bit of an auction happening and it selling for £450,000 or £460,000.
“Last year we experienced a fierce market for beach huts. I think it was a consequence of Covid.
“There was a lot of pent up demand from where people couldn’t get out and buy during Covid and after things opened up again a lot of people changed their lifestyles and decided they wanted to be by the sea and just went for it.”
The Mudeford sandbank is home to around 360 huts and their price has rapidly increased over the past 20 years.
In 2002, the huts were selling for £70,000 although the following year one broke the six-figure mark for the first time.
By 2005, the price had shot up to £135,000.
While there was a dip in the market in 2008 due to the credit crunch, prices had gone up to £170,000 by 2012.
Just two years later they increased to £270,000 and £300,000 in 2018.
Only 12 months ago they were worth about £350,000 before the sale of the hut for over £500,000 last September.
Any new owner will also have to cough up about £4,500 a year to the local council in fees.
7
7
7
