Here are six places across Britain which caught our eye as offering particularly enticing options, whether you're after a sprawling mansion or a pied-à-terre.
Warwickshire: A beautiful 18th century farmhouse with a barn and acres of land
Fir Tree House is a six-bedroom farmhouse that looks as if it has come straight from the pages of a Dickens novel. Sadly, it also looks as if it hasn't been decorated since the time of the great writer. The dilapidated charm will obviously go once the necessary work has taken place – as will the sense that you'll spot Miss Haversham sitting in an armchair.
For whoever takes the job on, this will become a wonderful family home with six bedrooms, lovely proportions and a wealth of fine features which – once finished – will ensure that Fir Tree House retains huge character.
There is also a barn which has been converted to a living space, just under eight acres of land and an option to buy 20 more acres of land plus assorted outbuildings.
For sale via Knight Frank. See more pictures and details.
Scotland: A 6-bedroom house with stables, a squash court and a tennis court, and over 50 acres of land
We'll get the bad news out of the way first: the inside of this spacious country house in Perthshire is in definite need of updating. But other than that, we're struggling to find the catch of a home with beautiful, mature gardens (totalling 10 acres) plus a frurther 20 acres of woodland and 22 acres of paddock and woodland.
The house also boasts a study, office and cellar, and as well as the various sporting facilities – a Victorian squash court, a tennis court, stabling – there's even a listed folly in the grounds.
For sale via Rettie. See more pictures and details about this property.
Wales: A beautifully-refurbished stone-built farmhouse with a swimming pool
In the heart of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park you'll find this picture-perfect 15th century home that's been lovingly restored to a high standard, with original features (including beamed ceilings and an Aga in the kitchen) retained wherever possible.
There's an outdoor pool with poolhouse, lovely gardens, and a paddock available separately should you want more land.
For sale via John Francis. See more pictures and details about this property.
Yorkshire: An immaculate four-bedroom Victorian house
Tucked away on the western edge of the Yorkshire Dales near Ingleton you'll find this 1850 home which is light, airy and beautiful.
The kitchen-diner (with Aga) is particularly lovely and the gardens feature a stream and a vegetable patch. Just idyllic.
The house also comes with just over an acre of land and a double-height barn with potential for conversion.
For sale via Davis & Bowring. See more pictures and details about this property.
Devon: A 27-bedroom house. Yes, 27 bedrooms.
No, neither the price nor the number of bedrooms is a misprint. A couple of miles away from Cullompton, this vast, sprawling house with extensive gardens is a former nursing home which closed down earlier this year.
It's located in the pretty and thriving village of Bradninch, which has everything you'll need including an outstanding primary school, a few shops, doctor's surgery and a couple of pubs.
The place will need a lot of work to either get it back up to scratch as a business or convert it for some other purpose, but the value on offer here is incredible.
For sale via Knight Frank. See more pictures and details about this property.
London: A two-bedroom flat by Battersea Park
This charming flat in Albert Palace Mansions is right round the corner from the park, and offers much more for your money than you'd get across the Albert Bridge in Chelsea.
There are two bedrooms plus a nice sitting room, plus a separate dining room.
For sale via Savills. See more pictures and details about this property.
Credit: Strutt and Parker
Best country houses for sale this week
An irresistible West Country cottage and a magnificent Cumbrian country house make our pick of the finest country houses for
9 utterly magnificent apartments where you can live in splendour at a fraction of the usual cost
An apartment within a listed mansion offers a fantastic mix of affordability, practicality and splendour, as these stunning places show.
-
Six rural properties with space, charm and endless views, as seen in Country LifeWe take a look at some of the best houses to come to the market via Country Life in the past week.
-
Exploring the countryside is essential for our wellbeing, but Right to Roam is going backwardsCampaigners in England often point to Scotland as an example of how brilliantly Right to Roam works, but it's not all it's cracked up to be, says Patrick Galbraith.
-
Six rural properties with space, charm and endless views, as seen in Country Life
We take a look at some of the best houses to come to the market via Country Life in the past week.
-
380 acres and 90 bedrooms on the £25m private island being sold by one of Britain's top music producersStormzy, Rihanna and the Rolling Stones are just a part of the story at Osea Island, a dot on the map in the seas off Essex.
-
A home cinema, tasteful interiors and 65 acres of private parkland hidden in an unassuming lodge in KentNorth Lodge near Tonbridge may seem relatively simple, but there is a lot more than what meets the eye.
-
A rare opportunity to own a family home on Vanbrugh Terrace, one of London's finest streetsThis six-bedroom Victorian home sits right on the start line of the London Marathon, with easy access to Blackheath and Greenwich Park.
-
A tale of everyday life as lived on Britain's most expensive streetWinnington Road in Hampstead has an average house price of £11.9 million. But what's it really like? Lotte Brundle went to find out.
-
Damon Hill's former home in Marbella is the perfect place to slow downThe glorious Andalusian-style villa is found within the Lomas de Marbella Club and just a short walk from the beach.
-
A 327-acre estate in the heart of 'England’s Côte d’Or', with a 26,000sq ft Georgian style home at its heartStokes Hall in the Crouch Valley is an inspiring property looking for a new owner.
-
Schreiber House, 'the most significant London townhouse of the second half of the 20th century', is up for saleThe five-bedroom Modernist masterpiece sits on the edge of Hampstead Heath.
