Downsizing in Selsey: What You Would Actually Release
Selling at the £400,000 Selsey average and buying at £280,000 releases about £107,300 after costs. Fees, stamp duty and moving take roughly £12,700 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 £400,000 Selsey average and buying at £280,000 releases about £107,300 after costs. Fees, stamp duty and moving take roughly £12,700 of it.
The downsizing sum for Selsey
Start with the gap. Selling at £400,000 and buying at 70% of that, £280,000, leaves £120,000 before costs. Costs are the part people underestimate.
Agent fees at 1.5% are £6,000. Stamp duty on the purchase is £4,000. Total £12,700, leaving £107,300 in hand.
Where the sale proceeds go
The commercial page for this town sets out the introduction itself: Equity release in Selsey.
Moving or borrowing, compared honestly
A lifetime mortgage at 65 on the same property would release about £136,000. Downsizing nets £107,300. The difference is that downsizing costs you the house, and equity release costs you the estate.
Over twenty years that £136,000 release grows to roughly £479,216. The downsizing figure does not grow at all, because there is no debt.
Bands, stock and timing
Council tax follows the property, not the person. Band D in West Sussex is £2,524, 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 Selsey looks like
The schools families ask about here are Medmerry Primary School, Seal Primary Academy, Secondary (Chichester), Sixth form & college (Chichester) and Independent schools (Chichester). 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: Selsey to Chichester takes about 20 to 30 min drive.
By price, Selsey ranks 29 of the 33 West Sussex locations we cover, at £400,000 against a county average of £486,515. Band D council tax here is £2,524, against an average of £2,488 across the towns we cover in the county.
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 £400,000 here.
Is Selsey right to stay in?
Selsey is an affordable, friendly seaside town at the tip of the peninsula.
The full local guide covers schools, transport and the market in detail: Selsey property and area guide.
- An affordable, friendly seaside town
- Selsey Bill, the beaches & the fishing heritage
- The wild Medmerry RSPB reserve
- Chichester & its mainline station within reach
- Popular with retirees, families & second-homers
- No railway station (nearest Chichester)
- Coastal erosion & tidal flood risk on the peninsula
- Single-road (B2145) access, busy in summer
- Flood risk can affect insurance & lending
- Secondary pupils travel to Chichester
| Who it suits | Out of five | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Downsizers | ★★★★★ | Level, walkable seaside living with bungalows, beaches and a friendly community, ideal for downsizing. |
| First-time buyers | ★★★★☆ | Among the more affordable coastal spots near Chichester, flats and bungalows offer genuine ways in. |
| Families | ★★★☆☆ | Good primaries and beaches, but the town's secondary closed in 2020, so older children travel to Chichester. |
| Retirees | ★★★★★ | A calm, affordable coastal town with big skies, wildlife and the sea on the doorstep, popular with retirees. |
| Commuters | ★★☆☆☆ | No station and a single road on and off the peninsula, you drive to Chichester for the London line. |
Selsey is known locally for Selsey Bill & the coast, and Medmerry RSPB reserve. The low headland at the tip of the peninsula, the most southerly point of West Sussex, with long beaches on either side; the defining feature of the town.
Practical detail for Selsey: the PO20 postcode district, no station, nearest Chichester (~7 to 8mi) for London Victoria trains and nearest A and E is St Richard's Hospital, Chichester (~7 to 8mi), verify with NHS.
Selsey has history behind the price. In 7th century, Tradition holds St Wilfrid brings Christianity to the South Saxons at Selsey, founding a monastery; Selsey is an early Sussex bishopric.
Selsey at a glance
| Downsizing line | Selsey figure |
|---|---|
| Sale price, local average | £400,000 |
| Purchase at 70% of value | £280,000 |
| Estate agent at 1.5% | £6,000 |
| Stamp duty on purchase | £4,000 |
| Legal and moving | £2,700 |
| Total costs | £12,700 |
| Net released | £107,300 |
| Lifetime mortgage alternative at 65 | £136,000 |
Figures are local averages used for illustration. Confirm your own numbers before acting on them.
Ask about Selsey
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 £400,000 average
- The council tax band of the property you are buying
- Total moving costs of about £12,700
- 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 Selsey
Broadband speeds can vary street by street in Selsey, 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 Selsey?
Is downsizing better than equity release?
What are the costs of moving?
How do I check broadband speed at a property in Selsey?
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