Having established goals in buying a holiday or second home, there is now a clearer idea of where to buy, such as the location of a favourite childhood holiday, or a up and coming area. This section explores some of the factors to consider when a choosing a property.

Travelling to the property

A holiday home should be a pleasure; a place to relax and unwind. So travelling to the property can be very important part of the ownership experience. How far away from the main residence is the property? How long does it take to get there? What are the roads like on a Friday evening between your start point and destination? For some, arriving at the holiday home at 11.00pm may be a deterrent to use and impact on enjoyment.

Property hotspots and values

With property prices ingrained into the fabric of British society today, they are naturally a primary influence on where to buy your holiday home. In South West England, the impact of Rick Stein in Padstow, for example, has had a significant effect on property prices and visitor numbers upwards. So the affect of a celebrity chef, or TV exposure such as that Tobemory on the Isle of Mull in Western Scotland has had when the children’s series Balamory is mostly filmed.

However it is worth considering the positive’s and negative’s of publicity, where a stroll down to the village where the holiday home is located can be less appealing if there is a sudden throng of tourists making it harder to park and the local amenities busier.

Local amenities

This covers a wide range of services which can enhance or detract from the ownership experience. What is in the area, within walking distance and within a short drive, and what local services are desirable in this range? These may include the village shop for basics in the morning, a convenience store with longer opening hours, a welcoming local pub and good restaurants.

But this extends further into lifestyle and local activities. Is there a surfing beach in the area, or countryside walks? Or family friendly attractions to visit, National Trust sites, cycle paths, fishing lakes or nature reserves.

Remote or central

An interesting consideration may be the contrast between your main residence and the second home. The appeal of a remote stone cottage, miles from civilisation is apparent to city dwellers with high pressure jobs, where as a second home in a major city provides opportunities for owners in the countryside to enjoy theatres, restaurants and shops not normally accessible.