Downsizing in Bosham: What You Would Actually Release
Selling at the £700,000 Bosham average and buying at £490,000 releases about £182,300 after costs. Fees, stamp duty and moving take roughly £27,700 of it.
The introduction costs you nothing. If you go ahead, we may be paid a fee by the firm we introduce you to. There is no obligation.
Selling at the £700,000 Bosham average and buying at £490,000 releases about £182,300 after costs. Fees, stamp duty and moving take roughly £27,700 of it.
The downsizing sum for Bosham
Start with the gap. Selling at £700,000 and buying at 70% of that, £490,000, leaves £210,000 before costs. Costs are the part people underestimate.
Agent fees at 1.5% are £10,500. Stamp duty on the purchase is £14,500. Total £27,700, leaving £182,300 in hand.
Moving within West Sussex rather than out of it keeps you near family and known services. The average price across the county towns we cover is £486,515, against £700,000 here.
Where the sale proceeds go
The commercial page for this town sets out the introduction itself: Equity release in Bosham.
Downsizing against releasing equity
A lifetime mortgage at 65 on the same property would release about £238,000. Downsizing nets £182,300. The difference is that downsizing costs you the house, and equity release costs you the estate.
Over twenty years that £238,000 release grows to roughly £838,628. The downsizing figure does not grow at all, because there is no debt.
What the move costs beyond money
Council tax follows the property, not the person. Band D in West Sussex is £2,412, and a smaller home may sit in a lower band. Check the band before you offer, not after.
Downsizing works best when you are not in a hurry.
What a move within Bosham looks like
The schools families ask about here are Bosham Primary School, Chichester secondary schools, Bishop Luffa School (Chichester) and Independent schools (Chichester area). 2 local schools were rated Good or Outstanding overall at their most recent graded Ofsted inspection. Ratings age between inspections, so read the latest report before you rely on one.
On getting about: Transport in Bosham is better than many villages, it has its own station and the A259/A27 close by. These indicative times are a starting point, always verify current timetables before relying on a specific journey.
By price, Bosham ranks 2 of the 33 West Sussex locations we cover, at £700,000 against a county average of £486,515. Band D council tax here is £2,412, against an average of £2,488 across the towns we cover in the county.
Is Bosham right to stay in?
Bosham is an exceptionally picturesque, sought-after Chichester Harbour waterside village.
The full local guide covers schools, transport and the market in detail: Bosham property and area guide.
- An exceptionally beautiful waterside village
- Saxon church, Canute & the Bayeux Tapestry
- Its own station & sailing on the doorstep
- Chichester & St Richard's Hospital 4 miles away
- Chichester Harbour (AONB) & harbour walks
- Prices well above average, and low supply
- The village's own trains reach London via a change
- Tidal flood risk on Shore Road & the waterfront
- Waterside homes need careful flood & insurance checks
- Period/listed & waterside homes need careful survey
| Who it suits | Out of five | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Downsizers | ★★★★☆ | Characterful period and waterside homes with Chichester four miles away, though prices are high and stock is tightly held. |
| Second-home buyers | ★★★★★ | One of the most beautiful, photographed waterside villages in Sussex, with sailing on Chichester Harbour, a dream coastal bolt-hole. |
| Retirees | ★★★★☆ | A tranquil, scenic AONB village with its own station and Chichester near by, though the tidal quay floods and a car helps. |
| Families | ★★★☆☆ | A village primary and Chichester schools including Bishop Luffa, but a premium, low-turnover market and tidal roads to weigh. |
| First-time buyers | ★☆☆☆☆ | An exceptionally sought-after, high-value village, very little accessible entry stock for first-timers. |
Bosham is known locally for Holy Trinity Church. The Saxon church at the heart of the village, one of the oldest in Sussex, the reputed burial place of a daughter of King Canute, and the very church shown in the Bayeux Tapestry.
Practical detail for Bosham: the PO18 postcode district, Bosham station, West Coastway line; towards Chichester/Barnham (London Victoria via Gatwick) or Havant/Portsmouth and nearest A and E is St Richard's Hospital, Chichester (~4mi), verify with NHS.
Bosham has history behind the price. In Roman & Saxon times, Bosham grows up as an ancient harbour settlement; Holy Trinity Church has Saxon origins.
Bosham at a glance
| Downsizing line | Bosham figure |
|---|---|
| Sale price, local average | £700,000 |
| Purchase at 70% of value | £490,000 |
| Estate agent at 1.5% | £10,500 |
| Stamp duty on purchase | £14,500 |
| Legal and moving | £2,700 |
| Total costs | £27,700 |
| Net released | £182,300 |
| Lifetime mortgage alternative at 65 | £238,000 |
Figures are local averages used for illustration. Confirm your own numbers before acting on them.
Ask about Bosham
Three details is all we need. You are told before anything is passed to a partner firm.
Your checklist
- A real valuation of your home, not the £700,000 average
- The council tax band of the property you are buying
- Total moving costs of about £27,700
- The equity release comparison, in writing, before you decide
The introduction costs you nothing. If you go ahead, we may be paid a fee by the firm we introduce you to. There is no obligation.
Check broadband before you make an offer in Bosham
Broadband speeds can vary street by street in Bosham, so check the exact address before you commit. Ofcom's free checker shows which broadband speeds and mobile coverage are available at any UK property.
We can introduce you to a specialist who can combine your mobile, broadband and utilities into one bill. There's no fee for the introduction.
We don't provide these services ourselves. Switching household bills is not a regulated financial service, so FCA protections and the Financial Ombudsman do not apply. We'll only pass your details to the specialist if you ask us to. See our privacy notice.
Questions people ask
How much would I release by downsizing in Bosham?
Is downsizing better than equity release?
What are the costs of moving?
How do I check broadband speed at a property in Bosham?
Read next
Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.