Housing market: Are second home owners really pricing locals out?

The BBC reports that concerns regarding second homes in rural areas is growing, with the pandemic increasing tensions

The report notes that second home owners have “long stood accused of pushing up property prices, leaving homeownership beyond the reach of many who grew up in rural areas”.

For example, new figures from the Land Registry show a 16 per cent rise in house prices in Anglesey in a year and many locally are calling it a crisis, blaming that rise on second home owners.

Meanwhile, Airbnb chief executive has also told the BBC that the way we think about travel, holidays and accommodation is changing as societies are adjusting to the pandemic – in particular, people are choosing longer lets in large houses, often in rural areas.

"Rural nights booked in the UK used to be a quarter of our bookings, they're now half," he commented.

The report notes that Cornwall is the country's most-booked summer location in 2021, a title previously held by London.

Full articles:

The BBC - Housing market: Are second home owners really pricing locals out?

The BBC - Airbnb boss: 'Cornwall's more popular than London'