When buying a home, it’s not just about the price you pay, but what you actually get for your hard-earned cash.
And according to a recent study, the highest proportion of bang to buck can be found in North East Lincolnshire.
In SellHouseFast’s analysis of UK postcodes offering the most space for £100,000, DN32 — primarily covering the West Marsh area of Grimsby, adjacent to the docks — came top of the list.
Based on government sales data, the North East dominated the top 10 areas when it comes to value for money, but none more so than this historic port town.
Here, the average house price sits at just over £112,000, which is the third lowest in the country, and less than half the national average.
In terms of space, the average Grimsby home measures up at 89.93m², equating to 78.4 m² per £100,000 — nearly double the 40m² figure for the North of England as a whole, or more than three times than the 22m² for the South.
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That’s not the only draw of DN32 either: despite the seaside town being a victim of long-term underfunding, it’s now being targeted for massive regeneration, and has access to sandy beaches in nearby Cleethorpes, green space galore and a burgeoning food scene.
Not to mention, there’s a wealth of stunning 19th century properties at affordable prices, making the dream of period homeownership a reality for many.
So if you’re tired of feeling cooped up, why not give Grimsby a gander?
Property in Grimsby
‘What’s particularly striking about DN32 is that it’s not just affordable in absolute terms, but in relative terms when you look at the amount of space buyers can secure,’ Verona Frankish, CEO of Yopa, tells Metro.
‘With the average UK house price now sitting at £270,259, the same budget in areas such as West Marsh can stretch to a four-bed semi-detached home, whereas in many parts of the country it would fall well short of that.’
The estate agency boss claims this level of value means the area is now ‘attracting a very specific buyer profile’, from landlords looking to cash in on strong rental yields and low entry prices, to first-time buyers who have been priced out elsewhere and are consequently ‘turning to markets like Grimsby as a way of getting onto the ladder.’
The neighbourhood around People’s Park is particularly sought-after, but Verona notes ‘affordability doesn’t exist in isolation’.
‘Areas such as West Marsh are not typically lifestyle-led markets and price levels often reflect wider local factors including employment, regeneration, and demand,’ she adds.
‘That said, with house prices in DN32 still climbing annually and wider investment across Grimsby ongoing, there is clear potential for longer-term growth, particularly for those entering the market at today’s price point.’
Transport links
By rail, Grimsby is connected to Doncaster via the East Coast main line, with hourly trains taking around 65 minutes. There are also multiple daily services to Lincoln (55 minutes’ journey) and Barton-upon-Humber (40 minutes).
If you’re driving, it takes less than an hour to get to Hull or Doncaster via the A1(M), or you can be up in The Wolds within a matter of minutes.
What locals say
On Reddit’s r/howislivingthere page, some Grimsby residents described it as ‘a bit rough round the edges’, but overall, ‘not bad’.
Despite facing ‘grim up north’ jokes and references to the Sacha Baron Cohen comedy named after the town (which depicts those who live there in a not-so-positive light) locals argue there’s a lot to love.
One user, Euphoric_Second9464, called it ‘a contradiction of a place’ due to a mix of both deprivation and the ‘best value Victorian housing in the country’, but notes that ‘people mainly have hearts of gold’ and the wider Lincolnshire area is ‘underrated’.
Over on r/housinguk, No-Cook1715 said they moved to Grimsby two years ago and ‘love it’, while Acrobatic-Ferret-707 said there’s ‘a lot more going for the area than outsiders think’, with everything from seaside to woodland right on the doorstep.
One word of warning though: many highlight the scent of fish near Grimsby docks, which makes sense given its maritime economy, but can put some people off.
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