The research conducted by property portal Rightmove revealed that the average asking price for a home in Saltcoats is £113,395. This is less than a third of the average property price for across the UK which is now £372,812.

Girvan which is also in Ayrshire, was the next most economical  area to have a home by the waves, with an average asking price of £121,269.

In England, Lancashire is the lowest priced county to buy a seaside dwelling, where the average asking price in Blackpool and Fleetwood is £147,244 and £154,560 respectively.

Skegness, one of the most traditional seaside towns in the UK, is the best priced place to rent a home. The asking price is £659 per month, a significant saving as this is less than half of the UK average of £1,396 per month.

Fleetwood is the next most inexpensive place to rent a home at £685 per month, followed by South Shields where £702 per month is the requested price.

The fall-out from the Covid-19 pandemic has become a persistent game changer as to why properties by the seaside are now more desirable.

Rightmove’s property expert Tim Bannister explained the situation: “The significant increase in interest for coastal areas during the pandemic continues to influence many buyer and renter choices for where to live today, particularly with flexible working further away from traditional cities now more of an option for many people.”

Sandbanks the most expensive area to live by the sea

Perhaps unsurprisingly Sandbanks alongside the Dorset coast is the most expensive location to live by the beach. The average asking  price is £2,028,948, followed by Canford Cliffs which is also in Dorset where £1,219,804 is the typical selling price.

Rightmove found that the south coast was the most popular destination for potential seaside property buyers. Bournemouth is the most in-demand area for buyers, while Southampton is most popular with those who are looking to rent.

Sandown in the Isle of Wight is increasingly becoming a hot spot. It was found that searches for homes which were available were up by 34% in contrast to last year. Meanwhile, Preston in Devon is the next highest on the list for the most searched destination to buy.

For those who are seeking to rent a seaside place, the most searches were for Scarborough which surged by 39% compared to last year. The North Yorkshire town was closely followed by Saltburn-by-the-Sea in Cleveland, which saw a leap of 33% of enquiries.