How BBC's Hope Street Boosted Donaghadee Homes

Insights from NI’s leading local property portal PropertyPal suggests that interest in properties in Donaghadee rose whilst the most recent series of Hope Street aired on BBC One.The drama series, which is airing its series four finale this week, is a co-commission between BritBox North America, BBC NI and BBC Daytime, with support from Northern Ireland Screen.Donaghadee sets the scene for the majority of filming in locations across the town such as Shore Street, Donaghadee lighthouse and Port Devine Harbour.Over the past two months, while the show was airing, the number of users browsing properties on PropertyPal in Donaghadee increased by 25%, while property views rose by 21% compared to last year.&nbsp;<blockquote>Commenting on the rise in interest, Emma McNally, PropertyPal’s Chief Operating Officer said:“Hope Street showcases the beautiful seaside location of Donaghadee and the popularity of both the programme and its setting has led to a spike in interest in property listings in the town. Last month we saw a rise in traffic to Donaghadee properties, contributing to an overall 20% increase in website traffic compared to the same time last year. With the show being broadcast on BBC One, across all of the UK, the exposure is not only positive for Donaghadee, but for NI as a whole &amp; we anticipate that this momentum in traffic will continue to grow.”</blockquote>&nbsp;Donaghadee was named as one of The Sunday Times Best Places to Live in 2024, alongside Portstewart and Belfast’s Ormeau.Described as a “hotspot on the Ards Peninsula”, the town was praised for its “charming lighthouse, multicoloured houses, and a centre packed with useful independent shops, friendly cafes, pubs and restaurants showcasing local produce.” &nbsp;

<hr>Popular PropertyPal listings include: &nbsp;138 Warren Road Offers Around £1,800,000 Listed by John Minnis Estate Agents

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<hr>Kilcoroon Cottage Offers Over £330,000 Listed by : Ulster Property Sales (Donaghadee)

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<hr>235a Millisle Road Offers Over £799,950 Listed by: Independent Property Estates Ltd

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The programme's success has spotlighted Donaghadee’s charm and boosted its property market appeal, with rising interest and growing demand.

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NI Housing Market:

It’s that time of year again when the crystal ball comes out and economists and analysts look ahead to what lies in store. While 2024 began with caution and concern, what materialised won’t look too bad in the history books. Average property prices reached £221k, up 6%, and typical rents now sit at £900 per month, rising 8.7% over the year.Encouragingly, the sales market is showing fresh signs of optimism, with new stock listed for sale up 8% year-on-year. However, the rental sector remains challenging, with listing volumes still well below long-term averages.On the leading indicator front, all signs point to a strong start for Q1 2025:<ul><li>Website visitors are up 20%.</li><li>Engaged Audience search time has increased 3%.</li><li>Enquiries to agents have risen 6%.</li><li>Agreed sales volumes are up 14% in the last three months, signalling a healthy pipeline of completions into the new year.</li></ul>The Outlook for 2025Overall, the year ahead looks more positive. Demand is improving, supported by a robust local labour market and a stable—potentially improving—interest rate environment. This should form the basis for relative stability, with modest price growth in the 3-5% and transaction levels forecast at around 25,000, in line with long-term averages.4 Key Themes to Watch<ul><li>Interest Rates &amp; Lender Competition: Mortgage rates are expected to soften gradually. Intense lender competition, particularly for re-mortgage business, will present opportunities, even if average rates remain modest.</li><li>Housing Supply: Sales stock has improved, but rental listings remain weak, and housebuilding is still below long-term averages. The recently published Housing Supply Strategy will be critical to addressing supply issues across all tenures.</li><li>Buyer Trends: First-time buyers remain the market’s largest group. While some softening in mortgage rates will help, affordability constraints may keep budgets in check.</li><li>Stamp Duty Changes: The revision to Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) for Northern Ireland and England from April 2025 will likely have a limited local impact but could distort wider UK market trends, with potential knock-on effects here. &nbsp;</li></ul>In summary, the Northern Ireland housing market heads into 2025 with renewed momentum. Demand remains strong, sales activity is improving, and economic conditions are stabilising. While supply challenges persist, the outlook is for modest growth, increased buyer opportunities, and a market that continues to improve.<hr>To learn more about the Northern Ireland housing markets, visit our housing market reports for more insights.

Explore the Northern Ireland housing market outlook for Q1 2025, including trends in house prices, interest rates, and rental demand.

NI Housing Market: What to Expect in Q1 2025

Hotel Sector Strong Despite Budget Uncertainty

The Northern Ireland hotel sector has continued to grow throughout the third quarter of the year despite a number of challenges across the commercial real estate market, CBRE NI’s latest research has shown. The leading commercial property agent’s Q3 Market Report has revealed another strong period for Northern Irish hotels, with with RevPAR (Revenue Per Available Room) rising by 8% in the first nine months of the year in Belfast and across Northern Ireland when compared to last year. Key Q3 hotel highlights have included: &nbsp;<ul><li>Armagh City Hotel being brought to the market with a guide price of £9m.</li><li>The Lodge Hotel in Coleraine being acquired by McKeever Hotel Group.</li><li>Patrick and Edmund Simpson purchasing Da Vinci’s Hotel in Londonderry</li><li>The Londonderry Arms Hotel in Carnlough being purchased by a consortium with plans to create Ireland's first whiskey hotel.</li><li>The Foundry Hotel opening in Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter</li></ul> Political and economic uncertainties have contributed to slower activity across other sectors of the market, notably investment, with just £4.2 million transacted during the third quarter, bringing the total for the year to £87.5 million – a 68% decrease compared to the same period in 2023. The office market was boosted by the inclusion of three serviced office centres, recording 140,096 sq ft of take-up in Q3, however, occupier demand remains selective, with a preference for high-quality, tenant-ready spaces. &nbsp;<blockquote>Brian Lavery, Managing Director at CBRE NI, commented: The performance of the hotel sector in Northern Ireland has been exceptionally strong throughout 2024. Despite broader economic challenges, we’ve seen substantial investment and development activity, reinforcing the confidence investors and operators have in the region’s hospitality market. The combination of new developments, refurbishments, and key transactions demonstrates the continued growth potential within this sector. While Northern Ireland continues to experience pockets of growth, market sentiment remains tempered by economic headwinds and uncertainty surrounding the forthcoming Labour Government budget. With borrowing costs still high and investors waiting to see the full impact of predicted fiscal policy changes, activity levels have slowed across several sectors. However, we are optimistic that the upcoming Budget and potential public spending initiatives could revitalise key areas. There is significant capital waiting in the wings, and we expect a more active final quarter of 2024. &nbsp;</blockquote>&nbsp;While retail remains a challenging sector, recent new openings and upsizing by H&amp;M, Deichmann, TK Maxx and Apple point towards a more rejuvenated Belfast City Centre core. We are aware of other new amusements planned for 2025 which should provide further retail choice across the city. The industrial market in Northern Ireland, like much of the UK and Ireland, has been subdued over the last quarter. There has been an increase in stock available over 20,000 sq ft, with demand for larger warehouse units slowing, while demand for units of less than 10,000 sq ft continues to remain strong with a lack of accommodation available in this size bracket. The full CBRE NI research report can be viewed below.

CBRE NI reports strong hotel sector growth in Q3, with RevPAR up 8% despite market challenges. 

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How BBC's Hope Street Boosted Donaghadee Homes
Published 18 Dec 2024

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