Would you rather open the curtains to the sea, or step outside into your own gardens? In Devon, both can be compelling reasons to move. The right choice often comes down to how you want an ordinary day to feel.
Two homes I sold capture that contrast particularly well: Paddock House in Halberton, marketed at £1,050,000, and Waypoint in Brixham, marketed at £1,500,000.
Both had previously been marketed unsuccessfully by other local agents. I subsequently sold each as sole agent. Their stories are different, but they share a lesson: an individual home needs a campaign that helps the right buyers understand what makes it special.
Paddock House · Halberton · Country · Marketed at £1,050,000
Waypoint · Brixham · Coast · Marketed at £1,500,000
Paddock House: space to make your own
Paddock House offered a version of country living with a strong connection to village life. Its Halberton setting combined landscaped gardens and grounds of over an acre with access to Tiverton, Tiverton Parkway and the M5.
Built in the style of a Devon longhouse, the home brought traditional character together with modern timber-frame construction. Five double bedrooms and several living spaces offered flexibility for family life, visitors and working from home.
The farmhouse-style kitchen, adjoining family room and garden room made the house feel connected to its grounds. The attraction was not simply having more outdoor space. It was the possibility of using it: gardening, eating outside, watching the seasons change and giving family life room to spread out.
Country living is sometimes imagined as complete isolation. Paddock House showed a different balance. Buyers could enjoy a green setting while remaining connected to schools, transport and everyday amenities.
Waypoint: a home shaped around the sea
Waypoint’s appeal began with its position above the shoreline on Berry Head Road in Brixham. The sea was part of the experience throughout the house, rather than a distant glimpse from one window.
Its contemporary design unfolded over three levels, with extensive glazing, five double bedrooms and a series of terraces and balconies. A curved glazed living space framed Tor Bay, while the upper panoramic room offered another place to enjoy the outlook.
Where Paddock House encouraged you to look into the gardens, Waypoint drew your attention out towards the horizon. Boats, light and weather made the view constantly change. The terraces extended that relationship outdoors, creating spaces for a quiet coffee or an evening with friends.
It was also a home in a working coastal town. Brixham’s harbour, cafés, restaurants and maritime character added another layer to the setting. For a buyer drawn to the water, that combination of architecture and place could be more important than a larger garden.
What do you want your weekends to look like?
The coast-versus-country decision is often easier when you stop thinking about labels and start thinking about your routine.
If your ideal Saturday involves tending a garden, hosting family in generous grounds or enjoying village surroundings, a home like Paddock House may feel right. If you picture a harbour walk, time near the water and an evening watching the bay from your terrace, Waypoint offers a different kind of reward.
Neither setting belongs to just one type of buyer. Families can thrive by the coast, and buyers seeking a quieter pace can enjoy a well-connected village. What matters is whether the property supports the life you actually want to lead.
Think beyond the view
A beautiful setting should work on a wet weekday as well as during a sunny viewing. Consider the school run, commuting, shopping, access for visitors and how much outdoor upkeep you want to take on.
With a country home, gardens and grounds bring enjoyment alongside practical responsibilities. With a coastal home, terraces and exposed finishes have their own maintenance needs. Each property deserves an individual assessment; the setting alone does not tell you what it will cost to look after.
It is also worth visiting at different times. The relationship between the house, its surroundings and your daily routine is something a photograph can introduce, but a viewing helps you understand.
What do the two marketing prices tell us?
Paddock House was marketed at £1,050,000 and Waypoint at £1,500,000. That difference should not be read as proof that coastal homes are always more valuable than country homes.
These were different properties with different architecture, plots and positions. Their prices reflected the individual offering. A broad coast-versus-country rule would miss the details that buyers were being asked to value.
The more useful question is where your budget gives you the best combination of location, accommodation and lifestyle. For one buyer, land and flexibility will matter most. For another, a direct relationship with the sea will be the feature they are unwilling to compromise on.
Two successful sales after earlier unsuccessful campaigns
Both homes had been offered through other local agents without a successful sale before I took them on as sole agent. I went on to sell both.
For me, that reinforces the importance of understanding the home before deciding how to present it. A bedroom count and a postcode cannot fully explain the appeal of either property. Buyers need to see how the spaces work and what the setting adds to everyday life.
At Paddock House, the gardens, family accommodation and connected village location were central to that story. At Waypoint, the architecture and sea-facing living spaces needed to be experienced together. In Waypoint’s campaign, enquiries through Instagram and YouTube helped bring three competing buyers to the property.
Photography, film and clear written information give buyers different ways to engage. The aim is to communicate a home’s character accurately and reach people for whom that character matters. Individual results vary, but a previous unsuccessful campaign does not have to be the end of the story.
Coast or country: which feels like home?
Devon offers both, and these two sales show just how different the possibilities can be. Paddock House offered space, gardens and a village connection. Waypoint offered a contemporary home with the sea woven into its daily experience.
The best choice is the one that works for you after the first impression has settled: the home that suits your routines, priorities and plans.
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