The COVID-19 pandemic forced people to think deeply about their living situations. Where once they lived within commuting distance of their offices, now they were working from home and reassessing their life choices. 

Many people followed their dreams, sold up and left their London apartments and headed for the coast. 

Is living by the sea all it’s cracked up to be though? In this post, I’m going to have a look at a few pros and cons of coastal living. 

Pros of coastal living 

Living by the sea is healthier

Obviously, living by the sea is healthier than living in a city. There’s less pollution from cars, lorries, buses and buildings and you don’t end up with a nose full of black gunk by the end of the day. 

Also, when it comes to our mental health, studies have shown that people living near the sea feel better within themselves, compared to their city-dwelling counterparts. 

There’s beautiful scenery 

I’m not suggesting cities aren’t beautiful – they are. Walking in a city, surrounded by skyscrapers and buzzing on the bustle is a joy to behold. 

But you can’t beat the open spaces of the coast and the countryside. Which would you choose? Watching the sun rise over the ocean, or over an industrial estate? 

Exercising is easy

There’s an abundance of exercise you can do by the coast. In fact, most of the time, you won’t even realise you’re exercising as it’s hardly a hardship to go for a walk along the seafront (especially if it involves ice cream). 

If watersports are your thing (no, not those types, you mucky pup), you can take up canoeing, kayaking, paddle boarding, surfing or wild water swimming all through the year. 

If you’re a runner, there’s the added bonus of the coast being flat, making it perfect PB (personal best) territory. 

If you have Cadense – Adaptive Trainers, your job is even easier. You can soak up all of the bumps and reduce your risk of getting shin splints. You can also take on more challenging and rocky terrain with more confidence if you have the right type of footwear that offers you adequate protection. 

There’s always something to do

In the last town I lived other than London, there was nothing to do. Ever. Or almost never. You’ll never run out of things to do by the sea. Seaside towns have events going on all the time.

In the summer there’ll be sandcastle competitions, parades and pie competitions and in the winter you might have a Boxing Day Dip, art exhibitions, markets and other fun things to keep locals occupied. 

You’ll feel like you’re on holiday every day 

If you’re not lucky enough to have an actual waterfront property, just passing the sea on your way to Asda to buy cat food will make you feel like you’re on holiday every day. 

Even on the days you don’t see the sea, the squawking seagulls will give you that holiday feeling and all without having to pack a suitcase or leaving the house. 

You’ll be surrounded by creativity

Creatives love the coast. If you’re an arty type, you’ll be in your element living by the sea. There’ll be more artists, writers and musicians than you can shake a paintbrush at. 

If you’re considering a fresh start by the coast, and perhaps even looking for a new property, The Goodrich Group might help guide you in finding your ideal location or home.

Photo by Courtney Corlew on Unsplash

The cons of coastal living

Of course, it’s not all sunrises, surfing and sunbathing when you live by the sea. Coastal living also has its downsides. 

It gets busy at summer

This isn’t a dig at tourists because there’s an immense amount of pride to be had living somewhere people want to visit. 

But when the sun’s out, if you had any vision of having an idyllic peaceful read on the beach in solitude, forget it. The beach will be full, as will the town with locals and holidaymakers enjoying everything a coastal town has to offer. 

Oh, and if you have a car and no driveway, forget about trying to park near your house on a sunny weekend. Actually, forget about parking anywhere on a nice day. 

There’s a lack of housing for sale 

Without wanting to get political about it, because of people owning holiday homes/second homes by the sea and people buying properties to rent out as holiday lets and AirBnBs, there aren’t many houses to actually buy to live in should you want to come and live by the sea. 

To make it even more difficult to live by the sea, those who do live by the sea don’t tend to leave, which means there are even fewer houses up for sale at any one time. 

Insurance is high

Should you get lucky and find a house for sale by the sea, be warned your insurance will be higher than if you were in the middle of a town. The salty air can cause corrosion and insurance companies adjust their premiums to reflect this. 

You’ll feel like you’re on holiday every day 

Yes, I’m repeating this. Not by mistake but because you may think it’d be fab to feel like you’re on holiday every day. 

But when you’re a self-employed freelancer, the pull of the beach on a sunny day can stop you getting things done. After all, what’s more appealing? Staring at a screen or sitting on the beach with a cold drink and a book? 

Pros and cons of coastal living 

So, there are some of the pros and cons of coastal living. To be honest, there aren’t really any cons. Not any that would make you rush back to the city, anyway.