Most Popular Articles

Spring is in the air. All across our green and pleasant land, villages are coming to life. But where are the top 20 prettiest spring villages? Here is our round-up, from the Cotswolds to Cornwall and Suffolk to Swansea. 1. Pembridge, Herefordshire  This village is well-known for the number of black and white buildings. Mentioned as having 2,000 residents in the Doomsday Book, it now has around half as many people living there. Visitors can enjoy the medieval buildings on nearly every street. For a home in Pembridge, expect to pay £700,000 for a large detached home with land. Two bedroom homes start at £175,000. 2. Bibury, Gloucestershire  This village is well-known for the number of black and white buildings. Mentioned as having 2,000 residents in the Doomsday Book, it now has around half as many people living there. Visitors can enjoy the medieval buildings on nearly every street.Village properties are highly sought-after, with detached homes in a good locatio...

Ask the agent

There are a lot of reasons for anyone involved in the UK’s regional premium markets to feel very smug at the moment. Despite all the fears of impending doom, these markets have continued to go from strength to strength, and the future looks as bright as ever.It’s important to understand how much better premium markets perform compared with the mid-market. On a national basis, the mid-market has seen average annual growth of around 3.2% per year over the last decade. The top 5% most expensive properties, on the other hand, have seen much stronger growth, at about 4%. For the top 1%, the increase is even stronger still at approximately 4.8% per year. You might, quite rightly, wonder why this is. After all, it is the same property market. So why do more expensive properties grow in value faster than mid-market properties? The answer is to do with the nature of market economies. The primary drivers of premium markets are high-net-worth individuals who determine the strength and shape...

Dream homes

 A home by the water offers fantastic views and a chance to get back to nature. Here are the best homes by rivers, lakes and the sea. 1. Near Fishguard, Pembrokeshire, £749,950Tregynon is a traditional Welsh farmhouse believed to date back to 14th Century with a three-bedroom annexe and a two-bedroom granary set in stunning grounds of around five acres, overlooked by Carn Ingli (Mountain of Angels) within the renowned Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. Not only does the property have several natural ponds, but there is also a pretty 200ft waterfall within the grounds. 2. Housham, Lincolnshire, £2,800,000 A very fine old Lincolnshire Manor House with origins dating back to Sir Hugh de Bussey's family that settled here at the time of William the Conqueror. Later, Hougham Manor became the hunting lodge of the Brudenell family of Lord Cardigan fame. The estate includes 30 acres of land, which features the River Witham winding through. 3. Long Sutton, Norfolk, £450,...