Bath Real Estate: Georgian Houses and Flats in Somerset

Bath is a UNESCO World Heritage city in Somerset, famous for Roman baths, the Royal Crescent, the Circus and honey-coloured Bath stone. It has two universities, a direct rail link to London Paddington in roughly an hour and a half, and Bristol is about fifteen miles away. Conservation rules restrict changes to listed buildings, which protects character but adds cost and approvals.

Buyers are London movers, academics, second-home owners and overseas buyers drawn by the architecture.

Stamp Duty Land Tax in England adds a 2% surcharge for non-UK residents, plus a 5% higher-rates surcharge if the purchase is an additional dwelling. Foreigners can buy freely and freehold or leasehold depends on the property. Instruct a solicitor, commission a survey and check listed-building status. Annual council tax and, for non-residents, UK tax on rental income apply.

See United Kingdom, the buying process and mortgage options.

The suggested links are not neighbours of Bath, but make useful comparisons: Cheltenham and Oxford are historic towns north and north-east; Winchester, Farnham, Henley-on-Thames and Marlow are affluent commuter towns in the south-east.