Downsizing in Devizes: What You Would Actually Release
Selling at the £340,000 Devizes average and buying at £238,000 releases about £91,940 after costs. Fees, stamp duty and moving take roughly £10,060 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 £340,000 Devizes average and buying at £238,000 releases about £91,940 after costs. Fees, stamp duty and moving take roughly £10,060 of it.
Running the downsizing numbers in Devizes
Start with the gap. Selling at £340,000 and buying at 70% of that, £238,000, leaves £102,000 before costs. Costs are the part people underestimate.
Agent fees at 1.5% are £5,100. Stamp duty on the purchase is £2,260. Total £10,060, leaving £91,940 in hand.
Where the sale proceeds go
The commercial page for this town sets out the introduction itself: Equity release in Devizes.
Downsizing against releasing equity
A lifetime mortgage at 65 on the same property would release about £115,600. Downsizing nets £91,940. The difference is that downsizing costs you the house, and equity release costs you the estate.
Over twenty years that £115,600 release grows to roughly £407,333. The downsizing figure does not grow at all, because there is no debt.
Moving within Wiltshire rather than out of it keeps you near family and known services. The average price across the county towns we cover is £420,200, against £340,000 here.
Bands, stock and timing
Council tax follows the property, not the person. Band D in Wiltshire is £2,605, 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 Devizes looks like
The schools families ask about here are Devizes School, Southbroom St James Academy, The Trinity CofE Primary Academy, Preshute CofE Primary School (nearby, Manton) and Devizes primary schools. 1 local school was rated Good or Outstanding overall at its most recent graded Ofsted inspection. Ratings age between inspections, so read the latest report before you rely on one.
On getting about: Devizes to Chippenham takes about 25 to 30 min drive.
By price, Devizes ranks 18 of the 25 Wiltshire locations we cover, at £340,000 against a county average of £420,200. Band D council tax here is £2,605, against an average of £2,594 across the towns we cover in the county.
Is Devizes right to stay in?
Devizes is a historic market town in the Vale of Pewsey.
The full local guide covers schools, transport and the market in detail: Devizes property and area guide.
- A characterful, affordable market town
- The Kennet & Avon Canal & Caen Hill Locks
- A historic brewery & the Wiltshire Museum
- One of the largest market places in the West Country
- The Marlborough Downs & Vale of Pewsey on the doorstep
- No railway station in the town
- Nearest A&E in Swindon or Bath
- Canal/Avon flood risk in low-lying spots
- Rail commuters must drive or bus to a station
- New-build/leasehold service charges to check
| Who it suits | Out of five | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Downsizers | ★★★★☆ | A walkable, characterful market town with a weekly market, canal walks and independent shops, a strong choice, with A&E out of town to note. |
| First-time buyers | ★★★★☆ | Among the more affordable central-Wiltshire market towns, with flats, terraces and family homes offering realistic ways in. |
| Families | ★★★★☆ | Comprehensive schools, canal and downland on the doorstep and good value, strong for families, with the lack of a station and in-town A&E to weigh. |
| Professionals/commuters | ★★★☆☆ | No station in the town means driving or bussing to Pewsey, Melksham or Chippenham, fine for local or hybrid workers, less so for daily rail commuters. |
| Property developers & investors | ★★★☆☆ | A steady, affordable market with period and canal-side stock and tourism demand, though without the rail-driven premium of Chippenham. |
Devizes is known locally for The Caen Hill Locks & the canal. The flight of twenty-nine locks on the Kennet & Avon Canal at Caen Hill, west of the town, is one of the longest continuous flights in the country, a spectacular engineering landmark and a genuine tourist draw.
Practical detail for Devizes: the SN10 postcode district, none in the town, nearest Pewsey, Melksham or Chippenham and nearest A and E is Great Western Hospital, Swindon, or the RUH, Bath (none in town).
Devizes has history behind the price. In 11th to 12th c, A Norman castle is built at Devizes; the town grows up around it at the meeting of three manors.
Devizes at a glance
| Downsizing line | Devizes figure |
|---|---|
| Sale price, local average | £340,000 |
| Purchase at 70% of value | £238,000 |
| Estate agent at 1.5% | £5,100 |
| Stamp duty on purchase | £2,260 |
| Legal and moving | £2,700 |
| Total costs | £10,060 |
| Net released | £91,940 |
| Lifetime mortgage alternative at 65 | £115,600 |
Figures are local averages used for illustration. Confirm your own numbers before acting on them.
Ask about Devizes
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 £340,000 average
- The council tax band of the property you are buying
- Total moving costs of about £10,060
- 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 Devizes
Broadband speeds can vary street by street in Devizes, 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 Devizes?
Is downsizing better than equity release?
What are the costs of moving?
How do I check broadband speed at a property in Devizes?
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