Estate agents in Dorset
Moving to Dorset, letting or selling here: the coast, the market towns and the two councils, with letting, sales and free valuations from our Bournemouth office.
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- 130 properties managed
- Since 2018 letting in Bournemouth
Letting, renting and selling in Dorset
Letting agents in Dorset
Tenant find, rent collection and fully managed lettings across Dorset, from the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole conurbation to the market towns and the coast, with both councils' rules handled.
Letting agents
Sell your property in Dorset
Selling a home in Dorset, from a Bournemouth flat to a market town house or a Purbeck cottage: marketing to the retirees, families, commuters and second-home buyers who move here, and a free sales valuation.
Selling your property
Property valuation in Dorset
Free sales and rental valuations across Dorset: sea views, period features, plot size, Purbeck and Forest access, parking and condition, weighed on a visit by a Bournemouth team.
Property valuationDorset splits between BCP Council, for Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, and Dorset Council for everywhere else. The conurbation is a flat-heavy, year-round rental market; the market towns and the coast beyond it are mostly houses and bungalows, with more retirees, second homes and holiday lets and fewer long lets.
Dorset is two places for anyone moving, letting or selling here: the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole conurbation under BCP Council, and the market towns, villages and Jurassic Coast under Dorset Council. Our office is in Bournemouth, and we let, sell and value homes across the conurbation and the towns within reach of it.
Renting in Dorset
In Bournemouth and Poole most rented homes are flats, and demand runs all year from students, hospital staff, relocations and professionals. Beyond the conurbation the market is mostly houses, with fewer long lets because many coastal homes are holiday lets or second homes. Family houses in Wimborne, Ferndown and Wareham let to families and commuters; flats and cottages in Swanage and Weymouth are scarce for long lets. Letting agents in Dorset sets out how we let across the county.
For furnished stays of a month or more, the group's 130 apartments are in Bournemouth with bills included (property to rent in Bournemouth), and where holiday lets are the local market, on the Purbeck and Weymouth coast, we offer holiday let management through Sea Breeze.
Buying and selling in Dorset
Buyers here are retirees and downsizers, second-home owners, families moving from cities and people working in the conurbation. Sea views, plot size, parking and the walk to a station or a high street move prices; in Purbeck and on the coast, principal residence and second homes rules can shape who can buy. Selling your property in Dorset and property valuation in Dorset cover the detail, and our guide on moving to Bournemouth helps anyone weighing the conurbation against the towns.
Letting a property in Dorset
Which council you deal with depends on the address. At the time of writing both BCP Council and Dorset Council charge a 100% council tax premium on furnished homes with no resident. BCP runs additional HMO licensing in parts of Bournemouth; elsewhere the national mandatory scheme applies.
Getting around
The main line from London Waterloo runs along the coast through Bournemouth, Poole, Wareham and Dorchester to Weymouth. The A31 and A35 cross the county, and many market towns have no station, so a car matters more the further you are from the line.
Nearby areas
Start with Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch for the conurbation, then Verwood, Corfe Castle and Studland for village life inland and in Purbeck.
Living in Dorset
The homes.Flats and converted villas in Bournemouth and Poole; Georgian and Victorian townhouses and cottages in market towns such as Wimborne, Wareham and Dorchester; Purbeck stone villas in Swanage; Georgian terraces in Weymouth; post-war houses and bungalows in Ferndown, Verwood and the suburbs; thatched cottages and farmhouses in the villages.
Transport
The South West Main Line runs from London Waterloo through Bournemouth, Poole, Wareham and Dorchester to Weymouth, and a second line links Weymouth with Bristol. The A31 and A35 cross the county east to west. Bournemouth Airport is at Hurn.
Schools and universities
Bournemouth and Poole have grammar schools and two universities, Bournemouth University and Arts University Bournemouth. The market towns each have a state secondary, and there are independent schools across the county.
Work and hospitals
The largest employers are in the conurbation: finance, the universities, hospitals, tourism and the airport. Elsewhere work is in tourism, farming, the public sector, defence and engineering. Major hospitals are in Bournemouth, Poole and Dorchester.
Shops and eating
Bournemouth and Poole have the main shopping centres; Wimborne, Wareham, Dorchester, Sherborne and Bridport keep independent high streets and weekly markets.
Beaches, coast and countryside
Sandy beaches run from Sandbanks to Hengistbury Head, the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site runs west from Studland, and Purbeck, Cranborne Chase and the Dorset National Landscape cover much of the inland county.
Who rents and buys in Dorset
Retirees and downsizers
Dorset has one of the older populations in England, and bungalows, flats and level homes near shops and the sea sell steadily to retirees from across the south.
Second homes and holiday lets
The coast from Purbeck to Weymouth and the BCP beaches draw second-home buyers and holiday let owners, which shapes prices and the supply of long lets.
Workers in the conurbation
Jobs in Bournemouth and Poole bring tenants and buyers to the conurbation and to the market towns within commuting reach.
Families moving out of cities
Families from London, Bristol and the Home Counties move for schools, space and the coast, often renting first while they find the right town.
Furnished homes to rent near Dorset
The group's apartments are in central Bournemouth and on the West Cliff: furnished lets from 28 nights, bills included.
Available Bills included Rent on application One-bedroom apartment to let, The Coast Hotel, Bournemouth
St Michael's Road, Bournemouth Minimum stay 28 nights · Furnished
Available Bills included Rent on application One-bedroom apartment to let, The Pebbles Hotel, Bournemouth
St Michael's Road, Bournemouth Minimum stay 28 nights · Furnished
Available Bills included Rent on application One-bedroom apartment to let, The Tower House Hotel, West Cliff
West Cliff Gardens, West Cliff Minimum stay 28 nights · FurnishedRated 4.9 on Google
Outstanding from start to finish
The apartment exceeded our expectations with its modern design and thoughtful touches throughout. Walking distance to both the seafront and shopping areas made it incredibly convenient. Clear instructions, responsive host. Would absolutely stay here again on our next visit to Bournemouth.
Modern, clean and superbly located
Lovely apartment in very close proximity to Bournemouth town centre and beach. Modern, very clean and well equipped. Onsite parking was a big plus, making it easy to explore the area. The host was very responsive and helpful throughout our stay.
Second stay, and we'll be back
Great apartment at a perfect location. Jack and the team were so easy to deal with. This is our second time at this apartment block and we'll definitely be returning. Clean, well-maintained, and had everything we needed for a comfortable stay.
Residents and guests of the furnished apartments we let and manage, in their own words, quoted as published. Each rating is the platform's own, read on the date shown. See every review
Estate agents in Dorset: questions
Which council covers my address in Dorset?
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole are covered by BCP Council. The rest of the county, including Wimborne, Ferndown, Wareham, Swanage, Dorchester and Weymouth, is covered by Dorset Council. Both were created in 2019. Check the council for council tax, planning and licensing at your address.
Do both Dorset councils charge a second homes premium?
At the time of writing both BCP Council and Dorset Council charge a 100% council tax premium on furnished homes that are nobody's main residence, from April 2025. A holiday let available for 140 nights and let for 70 a year is assessed for business rates instead.
Where in Dorset should I live if I need a train?
The main line stations are Christchurch, Bournemouth, Branksome, Parkstone, Poole, Hamworthy, Holton Heath, Wareham, Wool, Moreton, Dorchester South and Weymouth. Towns such as Wimborne, Ferndown and Swanage have no main line station, so most residents there drive.
Do you cover the whole of Dorset?
Our office is in Bournemouth, and we work mainly across BCP and the towns within reach: Wimborne, Ferndown, Verwood, Wareham, Swanage and Weymouth, plus Ringwood and New Milton over the Hampshire border. Ask us to confirm which services we can offer at your address.
Is Dorset a good place to buy to let?
It depends on where. The conurbation has year-round demand from students, workers and relocations; the coast has strong holiday let demand and the second homes premium to consider; the market towns let well to families. A rental valuation before you buy shows what a property would earn. This is not financial advice.
What is your property worth to let or to sell?
A free, no obligation valuation from a local team that knows what each street lets and sells for. For a quick figure first, the instant rent estimate takes under a minute.