Second homes exodus

A WAVE of second-home owners hit by the economic downturn are selling up, providing an unexpected boost for the Westcountry's property market.

Estate agents in picturesque or rural parts of Devon and Cornwall say many second-home owners are choosing to sell up rather than pay the rising monthly bills for two properties at once.

This is releasing homes for new buyers moving into the area and for local people struggling to find a permanent home in the region... more>