A “totally unique” waterfront country house in Salcombe has gone on the market for a staggering £6.5 million.

The six-bedroom property, set on a sprawling 1.84-acre site on the edge of the Kingsbridge and Salcombe Estuary, also boasts three moorings, a boathouse and a private beach.

The house, called ‘Thalassa’, in East Portlemouth, appeared in the latest edition of Country Life magazine and has already had “a few viewings”, according to Blair Stewart, a real estate agent for Strutt & Parker, which has put the property on the market.

“We’ve had a number of viewings from various parts of the country - none local. It’s totally unique in that you can enjoy all the benefits of Salcombe and then dip into your boat and head back across to your private jetty,” he said.

The property has been used as a family holiday home for many years, although the death of the main occupant prompted the sale.

Mr Stewart agreed with Country Life’s description of the house as ‘a little tired’, saying the new owner would be expected to extensively renovate the property, which has an Energy Performance Certificate rating of F and a private drainage system that may not comply with current regulations.

Although it is one of the most expensive homes currently on the market in the area, Mr Stewart said his firm sold a similar property for almost £10 million about two years ago.

“There’s a few on the market at that level now further up the estuary,” he said. “Houses like Thalassa sell for huge premiums and that then buoys the whole of the market. Pricing remains very high, but if you’re selling you’ve got be realistic and adapt,” he added.

Salcombe is one of the most expensive real estate areas in the UK, with house prices booming during the Covid pandemic to such an extent that they experienced a 15-25 per cent jump in interest, according to Mr Stewart.

“It’s now settled to a normal South Hams market, maybe more in relation to 2019, pre-Covid prices, but it’s still one of the most expensive real estates in the UK.”