Why buyers are paying six figures for beach huts, according to a property expert

There’s a shed in Mudeford, Dorset, that costs more than a four-bedroom house in Sunderland. It has no running water, no electricity worth speaking of, and you're not even allowed to sleep in it. And yet people – sensible people with a 4 wheel drive and a MyWaitrose card – queue up to hand over hundreds of thousands of pounds to own one.Welcome to the strange world of The Great British Beach Hut. But put the eye-watering, five numbers plus the bonus ball-like sums to one side for a moment.Why is a purchase such a potentially crazy decision? Well, let's look at the risks, because there are plenty. TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say You rarely buy the land, just the hut, perched on a cliff-edge and a lease from the council, who can hike the annual fees seemingly at will.Insurance isn’t a breeze because storms are not. One bad winter and your investment could be matchwood halfway to France.Add vandalism, salt damage, and rules so strict you'd think you'd bought a listed cathedral rather than a glorified garden shed, and the case against looks strong.Are they an investment? In the way a classic car is – kind of. Prices have soared, and the best spots hold value because we’re just not making any more seafront.LATEST DEVELOPMENTSPension crisis looms as Labour's leasehold war targets retirements: 'More nasty surprises!'Five tips to ensure your home does not go unsold, from a property expertWhy thousands of house-sellers will be frozen out of the market this summerBut this is a market driven by sunshine, sentiment and the wider economy. The best are snapped up by types who have just made a killing in tech stocks, AI or crypto. When money is easy, luxury goods – a nobody can claim a beach hut is ‘essential’ - rocket in value.But it can cool as quickly as a British summer. Buy one expecting it to fund your retirement, and you may be disappointed.Would I buy one? No. I've spent my career around property, and it’s the maths that makes me nervous. Financially, they should make no sense at all. And yetI understand entirely why people want one. Because a beach hut isn't really a property at all. It's a kettle, a deckchair, and a front-row seat to the sea. It's grandchildren with crabbing buckets and bacon sandwiches in a force five gale.Has anyone ever said they wish they'd spent less time on a beautiful beach? Well, perhaps Tom Hanks in Castaway did, but you get my drift.So no, it's not an investment. But if you really, really want one – do it! Because then, you’ll have your very own expensive, slightly leaky, irreplaceable slice of happiness.Property expert Jonathan Rolandeis the founder of House Buy Fast. For more information visit https://rolande.property/ Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter