Are staycations here to stay?

Here at Forge Property Consultants, our estate and property managers have extensive experience in the management of all types of property – from 3,000 acre country estates and large mixed portfolios to single dwellings, commercial units, offices and areas of land. Many development opportunities are being opened up by using farm buildings, barns, sheds and other outbuilding or units, and repurposing them. One of the most popular conversions is to turn buildings into holiday accommodation for let.

Why are UK holidays popular?

Before the advent of mass tourism and affordable foreign travel, the home-grown tourism market flourished. But in recent years, the staycation has become popular in the UK once more. This has led to many people rediscovering what’s on their own doorstep (or slightly further afield) without the need for all the stress and wasted time that travelling abroad sometimes brings with it (though it could be argued that a car journey in a vehicle packed with people, provisions and luggage can be a less-than-stress-free experience). The resurgence of UK holidays, dubbed ‘staycations’, is down to a variety of factors (some positive, some negative), but has led to a lot more money being spent in the UK on holiday leisure, both in the acceptable ‘holiday’ season periods (school holidays, bank holidays) and also out of season by those wishing to avoid price hikes and crowds.

Turning a profit

The rise of the staycation has also proved profitable for farmers and landowners, where they can use their acreage for caravan or camping sites, for example, or actually converting and letting out some of their property for leisure purposes. At Forge, our property specialists can lend their expertise to help you with all aspects of taking your first steps into the holiday let sector. It’s a leisure opportunity for farmers and agricultural landowners that we know well and we can guide you through all aspects of the conversion process – from planning and development, to managing the finished article. We can negotiate change of use applications on traditional buildings into holiday lets, to help rural property owners realise the potential of their assets. In this way, dormant buildings can become something beneficial both to you and the local economy.

If you’re a developer with your eye on a particular property, we can work with you to purchase and apply to convert the property, and likewise, if you think you have a property to sell that has conversion potential, our surveyors can give you a realistic valuation that reflects its redevelopment prospects and the options available to you. If you think you can expand your property portfolio with a holiday let, contact our expert surveyors and valuers today.

Charles Lawson, Director