VILLAGE ONCE UNDER-THE-RADAR NOW A MAGNET FOR THE SUPER-RICH WHERE HOUSE PRICES ARE SOARING

There is a quiet village just two hours from Manchester that has become a playground for the super rich. A mere stone's throw from the sandy shores of Rhosneigr beach, a collection of townhouses initially struggled to attract buyers when they were built some 30 years ago.

At that time, the quiet village on the western coast of Anglesey failed to draw much attention from non-locals, despite commanding stunning sunset vistas over the ocean.

Back in 1996, the essence of Ynys Môn was marked by its lack of internet and the considerable drive required for holidaymakers which led to a modest average property price of just £50,836. Today, however, Rhosneigr tells a different tale.

According to analysis by the Express's data unit, the increase in property values in the village over the past three decades is second only to London. As of September 2024, the average house price has skyrocketed to an astonishing £679,000.

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Earlier this year, one of those once-overlooked beachside townhouses was snapped up promptly after going on sale, with Rhosneigr Property estate agents reporting an influx of buyer interest. The phenomenon is not just a one-off either, reports North Wales Live.

Such is the demand for these picturesque homes that listings for snug cottages featuring sea views are whisked off the market within days. Even Nadine Moore, who works in the Funsport surf shop painted in distinct blue, wonders what exactly it is about the place that has generated such enthusiasm.

“I mean, it’s just like a small high street and some shops,” she said. “There’s not much here."

Nadine, like many residents of the village, acknowledges its beauty, saying, "apart from it being really beautiful" The 30 year old water sports enthusiast felt a strong connection to Rhosneigr, having travelled the world but only wanting to settle in this small seaside community. "It's got a vibe to it," she explained.

"Even travelling to Australia and New Zealand [they weren't like Rhosneigr]."

After living in the village for five years, Nadine has noticed that influential people often frequent the beach. "A lot of people come over and [their place in Rhosneigr] is not their only holiday home, they have a couple," Nadine observed.

"You'll meet like the owner of [a high street restaurant] or a housing corporation, every second person is usually quite a well-known figure."

She likens the social structure of the community to that depicted in the Netflix series Outer Banks, where affluent seasonal visitors mix with the working-class locals. Nadine added: "It's like a surf town, so you get a lot of individuals who come here for the kitesurfing and windsurfing. They are [part of a] core that has either grown up here or moved for the water sport scene.

"At the same time [the water] brings a lot of wealth over from places like Chester or Manchester, rich individuals who come over here because they get to launch a powerboat and use the water quite luxuriously. They have beautiful homes that overlook a beach destination."

The issue with attracting the super-rich who own multiple secondary properties is that they often remain vacant. This, unsurprisingly, leads to discontent among full-time residents.

"The number of second homes is always an issue because the village in the winter is very quiet and some of the small businesses have closed down," says local councillor Derek Browne. "Generally people are not happy about it because it's pricing local and young people out of the market."

In 2023, the Welsh Language Society attributed the decline in the number of Welsh speakers in the village to the abundance of second homes.

Just 27% of Rhosneigr's population spoke the native dialect – almost half the number in neighbouring towns and one of the worst figures on Anglesey. "Rhoseignr [is] the epicentre of the second homes crisis, a symptom of the wider failure of the free market on housing to fulfil its purpose in providing adequate, affordable homes for local people," the Society told North Wales Live.

Since those complaints were raised, the second-home crisis has been addressed with new powers given by the Welsh government to local authorities, which allows councils to charge a premium of up to 300% on second homes. On Anglesey, the council charges a premium of 100% in addition to the full council tax charge, making up a 200% premium.

Councillor Browne has explained that, despite the legislation leading to homes being sold off, the buyers are not local people. This is partly due to the high prices, but also because the surge in remote working during the Covid pandemic has led people from all over Britain to make places like Rhosneigr their main residence.

This is why recent clients of local estate agent Rhosneigr Property include a family who work in London and, thanks to flexible and remote working arrangements, can now base themselves on Anglesey. The business's owner, Daniel Fernandes, understands the appeal of relocating on a personal level.

Daniel, whose wife was born in Cheshire and holidayed in the village as a child, fell in love with the lifestyle in Rhosneigr from the moment he first visited his in-laws who had retired there.

He said: "The weather was stunning and when I saw the bay with the waves rolling in I was just in awe.

"Over the weekend I went to the bars and felt the buzz. We went that evening to a family barbecue and it was just like stepping into a different world."

In terms of rising house prices, it's indeed a different world compared to even some of Britain's most sought-after postcodes.

2025-01-10T10:06:43Z