What to know when buying a second home in St Ives

Use the quick links below to navigate to a particular topic or read on for our complete guide to buying a second home in St Ives.

Why buy a second home in St Ives?
Where to buy a second home in St Ives
Features to consider when buying a second home in St Ives
St Ives estate agents
Carbis Bay and St Ives holiday letting agents

Why buy a second home in St Ives?

St Ives

St Ives is an award-winning town situated on the West Cornwall coast. Deemed the best family holiday destination by many and boasting one of the top 10 European beaches according to Tripadvisor, it’s easy to see why tourists head here in their droves.

Not only is St Ives known for its beautiful beaches and coastline, it’s also known for its art. Tate St Ives gallery showcases many British artists including the late Barbara Hepworth. With regular modern art exhibitions and a multitude of art displayed, this place is a must-visit.

The food and drink scene is also a lure of this seaside town, with many delicious eateries and sea view bars. Not forgetting the extremely popular St Ives Food Festival, which is a highlight of the region’s culinary calendar.

Owning a holiday cottage in St Ives can provide you and your family with a Cornish bolthole to escape to. And what’s more you can offset the costs of your own holiday by renting it out to guests.

There are many reasons why buying a second home in St Ives is a sound investment, these include:

Staycation demand – the market for staycations remains strong with 65% considering a stay in a holiday home this year and 56% considering two or more UK breaks.
Location – St Ives is one of the most popular locations for the school summer holidays and it’s easy to see why.
Award-winning beaches – St Ives is home to 7 beautiful beaches and miles of unspoilt coastline. With a beach to explore each day and plenty of seaside activities, there’s something for everyone.
Mild climate – the South West and Isles of Scilly is known for its warm microclimate. While you cannot guarantee the Great British weather, generally the South of England is one of the warmest regions in the UK.
Plenty of things to do and see – St Ives has a vibrant events scene, giving a year-round appeal as a holiday destination. St Ives September Festival and St Ives Food & Drink Festival brings in a flurry of bookings in the shoulder season.

Where to buy a second home in St Ives

From stylish one-bed apartments to large seafront villas, Carbis Bay Holidays markets and manages properties to suit all tastes and budgets, sleeping 2 – 10.

In St Ives most places are extremely sought-after, however, our property experts recommend the best place to buy a second home is on the ocean side of St Ives Road (see map).

Properties on this side of the road are centrally located within a short distance of the beach and always considered prime real estate for buying and letting.

While a central location is essential for many, some do prefer to be out of town. Properties away from the heart of St Ives offer sublime panoramic views and an abundance of space.

Features to consider when buying a second home in St Ives

St Ives Holiday home with a sea view

If you are thinking of buying a second home in St Ives, here are a few features to consider:

Sea views – our most popular properties are those with sea views, and they are more likely to receive consistently high booking figures.
Outdoor space – holiday cottages with outdoor space are always in high demand. Including those with an outdoor shower when returning from a day at the beach.
Parking – St Ives is notoriously known for its difficult When considering buying a holiday cottage in St Ives we highly recommend it provides the amenity of parking. Parking permits are difficult to obtain, so having a designated space or drive is highly desirable, especially in the height of summer.
Pet friendly – particular in non-peak season when the beaches in St Ives drop their dog restrictions, allowing pets can open your property up to a new market of customers and in turn increase your bookings.

St Ives estate agents

Here at Carbis Bay Holidays we work closely with many St Ives estate agents.

If you are considering purchasing a property and would like to discuss its potential as a holiday let, we can provide you with a free, no-obligation proposal of the income you could earn. We can also provide a letter of support for your mortgage application if required.

Carbis Bay and St Ives holiday letting agents

St Ives holiday letting agents - Gwel and Godrevy holiday let

At Carbis Bay Holidays, we market and manage over 150 properties around St Ives and Carbis Bay.

With over 20 years’ experience, we believe operating from our local office in Carbis Bay allows us to give our owners the best possible service. From operations to marketing, we have experts from every department right here in the South West.

We have a dedicated team of Owner Relation Experts, who are responsible for making the holiday letting process is as smooth as possible. This includes handling your bookings, answering your queries, and keeping your web listing and photography up to date and accurate.

We also offer a full property management service, which in addition to the above includes:

24-hour support
Maintenance
Cleaning
Changeovers
Refurbishment projects
Winter security checks

Our local team have a reliable network of suppliers, allowing us to take the best care of the holiday homes we manage, while owners relax in the knowledge that their property is in safe hands.

We’re proud to be part of the Sykes Holiday Cottages family, meaning that on top of our hands-on local service, we benefit from an eight-figure marketing budget to secure industry-leading levels of bookings and income for our owners.

Due to ever-increasing demand, we are looking for more properties to add to our growing holiday home portfolio in St Ives, Carbis Bay and the surrounding areas.

To book your property visit today email newowners@carbisbayholidays.co.uk or order your FREE Owners Guide via our Let Your Cottage page.