Fowey tops UK list of postcard towns as house prices soar 67%

If you bought a house in one particular Cornish harbour town ten years ago, a new set of figures suggests it could now be worth a good deal more than you paid for it.

Fowey has come top of a new list of the UK’s fastest rising “picture postcard” towns and villages, with average property values up 67% over the last decade.

How much Fowey prices have moved

According to the figures, the average price in Fowey has gone from £350,000 in 2016 to £585,000 in 2026.

The list was compiled by property software provider Alto, which says it is connected to more than 6,000 estate agents across the UK. It shortlisted picturesque towns and villages which it says have out-performed the wider market over the last ten years.

Alto describes the rise in Fowey as bucking an overall downturn.

Why Fowey

The historic port town is known for its Georgian townhouses, quayside cottages and a waterfront where buildings are stacked in tiers up the hillside.

It was home for 15 years to comedian Dawn French, who lived in a Grade II listed mansion overlooking the Fowey estuary. The BBC series Beyond Paradise, starring Kris Marshall and Sally Bretton, is also filmed there.

📷Riccardo Iannucci-Dawson, Alto chief executive

What the firm behind the figures says

Alto chief executive Riccardo Iannucci-Dawson said picture postcard locations have been hit by the property downturn too, but hold and grow their value over the long term because of their lasting appeal.

Riccardo said: “Even in a depressed property market you will find bubbles which out perform other areas because they are gorgeous places to live. Fowey is one such place, along with all the others in the top ten.

“Alto allows agents to analyse long-term sales and rental data, going back decades, to market homes most effectively and extract the maximum value out of each new listing.

“We have access to sales data right across the UK from thousands of agents and can quickly highlight trends and local hot spots which may require a different sales strategy.”

Alto makes software for estate and letting agents covering sales, lettings, property management and client accounting. The company says around 35% of UK estate agents use its system.

The full top ten

Fowey is the only Cornish entry. One Devon village also makes the list.

1. Fowey, Cornwall: up 67%, from £350,000 in 2016 to £585,000 in 2026
2. Hathersage, Derbyshire: up 63%, from £367,000 to £596,000
3. Weobley, Herefordshire: up 57%, from £238,000 to £373,000
4. Chiddingstone, Kent: up 56%, from £408,000 to £637,000
5. Lacock, Wiltshire: up 55%, from £249,000 to £386,500
6. Alrewas, Staffordshire: up 54%, from £357,000 to £548,000
7. Clun, Shropshire: up 53%, from £261,000 to £400,000
8. Painswick, Gloucestershire: up 51%, from £387,000 to £584,000
9. Appledore, Devon: up 49%, from £247,000 to £369,000
10. Montgomery, Powys: up 40%, from £214,000 to £298,000

Alto has published the data and methodology behind the list on its website.

📷Scenic view of a Fowey is a charming historic port town on the south coast of Cornwall with winding narrow streets and stunning sea and river views, England, United Kingdom