Why Paignton is a brilliant place to live (and keep a home)

There is a particular kind of contentment that comes from living in Paignton. It is the town that does not try too hard, and is all the better for it. You have a proper sandy beach, a working pier, a harbour full of small boats, and a steam railway that whistles along the coast as if it has all the time in the world. For families, retirees and holidaymakers alike, Paignton has quietly become one of the most liveable spots on the English Riviera, and once you have lived here a while, you understand exactly why people put down roots and stay.

The seafront, the sands and a proper day out

Paignton's beaches are its great gift. The main seafront stretches in a generous golden curve, with Preston Sands to the north offering softer, family-friendly sand and gentle water that fills with buckets and spades all summer. Walk south and you reach Paignton Pier, all painted ironwork and arcade lights, then on to Goodrington Sands with its two beaches, the boating lake and the water park behind. These are not the dramatic rocky coves of the South Hams. They are easy, welcoming beaches you can walk to on a Tuesday after work, and that everyday access to the sea is part of what makes the town feel like a permanent holiday for the people who live here.

The harbour, the pier and that Riviera feel

Paignton harbour is a small, pretty thing tucked just south of the green, with a sea wall to walk along and a handful of boats bobbing at their moorings. It is the kind of place you drift to with an ice cream on a warm evening. The pier, meanwhile, gives the seafront its character: a little brash, a little nostalgic, and thoroughly loved. Together with the palm trees and the bright bedding plants along the front, they give Paignton its share of the English Riviera glamour, the gentler, more family-minded sibling to Torquay just up the bay.

Attractions that keep the town busy all year

Few towns this size have so much on the doorstep. Paignton Zoo is one of the country's most respected, a genuine conservation charity set across acres of botanical gardens, and a reliable rainy-day saviour for local families. The Dartmouth Steam Railway runs from Paignton along a glorious stretch of coast to Kingswear, where you can hop on the ferry to Dartmouth and make a proper day of it. Add the Geoplay Park at Goodrington, the boating lake and the summer events along the green, and you have a town that rarely runs short of things to do.

The neighbourhoods that make up Paignton

Part of Paignton's appeal is its variety. Each area has its own feel, and there is genuinely something for everyone:

• Preston - the northern end near Preston Sands, popular with families and within easy reach of the beach and the seafront.
• Goodrington - elevated streets with sea views above Goodrington Sands, a lovely spot for anyone who wants the water close by.
• Blatchcombe - a more central, established residential area, handy for the town and its schools.
• Collaton St Mary - on the western edge, greener and quieter, where the town starts to give way to the Devon countryside.
• Marldon - a village proper just outside town, all character cottages and country lanes, famous locally for its apple pie fair.
• Churston - to the south towards Brixham, leafy and settled, close to Churston golf course and the coast.

The town of bungalows (and what that means for keeping a home)

If Paignton is known for one kind of home, it is the bungalow. The town has them in abundance, and they are part of why so many people choose to retire or settle here. Single-storey living is easy living: no stairs, manageable rooms, and gardens you can actually use. From a home-care point of view they are a pleasure too, with everything on one level and no awkward stairwells or landings to reach. Of course, Paignton also has its share of Victorian and Edwardian villas near the seafront, smart new-builds on the edges of town, and family houses across Preston and Blatchcombe, so however you like to live, the housing here can usually accommodate it.

Coastal living, and the small realities of it

Living by the sea is a joy, but the South Devon coast does ask a little of your home in return. The salt air carries on the breeze and leaves a fine film on windows and glass, which is why seafront properties always seem to need their windows doing more often. Our hard water leaves limescale on taps, kettles and shower screens, and the milder, damper coastal climate means condensation and the odd patch of mould can creep in over winter, especially in north-facing rooms and around single-glazed windows in older houses. None of it is dramatic. It is simply the trade-off for that sea view, and a little regular care keeps it all in hand.

The family-friendly heart of it all

What ties Paignton together is its unforced, family-friendly feel. It is a town where children grow up knowing the beach, where the steam train is part of everyone's summer, and where neighbours still chat over the garden fence. The holiday-let market thrives here too, with apartments near the seafront and at Goodrington let out through the season, which keeps the town lively and gives it a steady, welcoming buzz. For a place to live, work and bring up a family, Paignton genuinely earns its place on the Riviera.

Keeping your Paignton home at its best

Whether you are in a Preston bungalow, a Goodrington flat with a sea view or a family house out at Collaton St Mary, a little regular help goes a long way to keeping a coastal home fresh and easy to live in. As a local, family-run team, we look after homes right across Paignton with cleaners who are DBS checked and fully insured, and wherever we can, we send the same trusted cleaner each visit so your home is always in familiar hands. We bring professional products as standard, and we are happy to use your own or eco-friendly products if you prefer.

If you would like a hand keeping on top of things, we would love to help. Call us for a friendly chat and a free, no-obligation quote on 01803 500721, and let us take a little off your plate so you can enjoy more of what makes Paignton such a lovely place to live.