Sussex Gardens, Sea Tower North Sussex Gardens, CT8 8DJ

There are sea views. And then there’s this. We see coastal property all the time. After nearly four decades in estate agency, a balcony overlooking the sea isn’t exactly an unusual Tuesday for us.

But every now and again, one feels different. Sea Tower North does. This is a two-bedroom, two-bathroom first-floor apartment sitting right on the Westgate seafront, in Sussex Gardens.

And strangely, we think the fact that it’s on the first floor might just be the cleverest thing about it. Open the bi-fold doors, sit back on the sofa and look out.

Because of the height, the road, promenade and most of the usual visual clutter almost disappear beneath you. Your eye catches the beach and then the sea. That’s about it.

You’re not high enough to feel detached from it. You’re not at ground level looking through people, railings and passing cars.

You sit there feeling ridiculously close to the sand — almost as though you could lean over the balcony and grab a handful. It’s a difficult thing to explain in an advert.

You’ll understand it within about ten seconds of sitting in the lounge. The apartment itself is properly proportioned too.

Two good-sized bedrooms, one with an en-suite, a generous main bathroom, a fully fitted kitchen and a living space that opens directly onto the balcony.

But really, the floorplan isn’t the headline here. The feeling is. You’re also a very short stroll from central Westgate, which has quietly become rather cool.

The once-sleepy little seaside town now has its own collection of bars, restaurants and independents — what we’ve jokingly started referring to as the Westgate Strip. Nobody else calls it that. Yet.

And with Westgate station providing direct rail connections towards London, it works equally well as a permanent home, weekend escape or somewhere to simply shut the doors and disappear to the coast.

We sell plenty of homes with sea views. Very few make you feel this close to the sea. Come and sit on the sofa. You’ll see what we mean. EPC Rating: C