Cliffside home at risk of crumbling into the sea fails to sell at auction for £250,000 - despite being worth more than FOUR times the price

Published: 19:26, 21 July 2026 | Updated: 19:27, 21 July 2026 A beautiful home perched on a cliffside overlooking the sea has failed to sell at auction for less than a quarter of its value.  The three-bedroom thatched cottage in Sidmouth, Devon, described as offering 'some of the finest panoramic sea and coastal views' in the country, is worth more than £1million.  But today, it failed to sell at auction for £250,000 after being put at risk of crumbling following a cliff fall in 2024, which reduced the garden and left the house just metres from a huge drop.  The owners took a massive hit after paying £695,000 in June 2011 for the property, whose normal market value is listed at between £1.1 and £1.6million.  Despite being described in the listing as a unique detached home with stunning views of the Jurassic coastline, its exposure to cliff falls saw it remain unsold at auction for a reservation price of just £250,000 on Tuesday.  The home located now sits roughly 40ft from the cliff face, looking over a 120-metre precipice.  Drone footage showed an enclosed and manicured garden with a wooden gate leading out onto the precarious edge.  Also visible from above were large sections of the Jurassic Coast cliffs - famed for its fossils - which had collapsed.  The thatched cottage is perched on a cliffside, overlooking a 120-metre precipice  The Devon home along the Jurassic coast had a market value of over £1million - but suffered significant losses due to cliff falls  The coastline is made of soft, unstable red sandstone, which is prone to sudden and unpredictable collapses.  There have been numerous cliff falls in the area in recent years, with the council regularly having to close the popular beaches below.  The 2024 rockfall that edged the property closer to the cliff edge occurred days after another large portion of the cliff collapsed a few hundred metres away, at Jacob's Ladder Beach.  The property was listed by Bradley's Estate Agents and went up for auction on July 21 with a guide price of £250,000, attracting three bidders with a top offer of £249,000.  Now, it is understood the owner is seeking offers and may return it to auction at a later date.  The listing noted that the area has suffered from coastal erosion, stating: 'The property has in recent years suffered a cliff fall within the very far boundary of the garden.  Aerial pictures show the home located roughly 40ft from the cliff face  An enclosed and manicured garden with a wooden gate leading out onto the precarious edge  'A full cliff survey can be seen within the legal pack.'  The listing added: 'Occupying a spectacular cliff-top position, this unique detached thatched residence enjoys some of the finest panoramic sea and coastal views in East Devon, stretching along the Jurassic Coast.  'Designed and built in the 1960s for renowned novelist R.F. Delderfield, this distinctive home features an imaginative circular design that maximises natural light and captures the breathtaking outlook from many of the principal rooms.  'Beautifully presented throughout, the accommodation includes a bespoke integrated kitchen, an impressive sitting room with French doors opening onto terraces, a versatile dining room/bedroom three, two generous first-floor bedrooms, a contemporary bathroom and an en-suite.  'The mature landscaped gardens provide exceptional privacy and seclusion, with terraces, ornamental pond, lawns and colourful planting all enjoying stunning coastal vistas.  'A garage and extensive driveway parking complete this rare opportunity to acquire one of Sidmouth's most iconic and beautifully positioned homes.'