With £1m in Herts, you'd have the pick of some beautiful properties - from a 'Sylvanian' cottage to a high end apartment, and all sorts in between.
But what about the rest of the world?
We’ve gone fantasy house-hunting to compare what you can buy here and abroad and looked at homes for sale across the globe, from France and Australia to Dubai and New York.
Newsells, Barkway
Let’s start in the north of our county where for £1 million you can buy this beautiful Grade II-listed property in Newsells, near Barkway, which has undergone extensive renovation and updating by the existing owners.
The four-bedroom property sits in an elevated position at the end of a no through road in what can only be described as a Sylvanian setting.
The property - marketed by Hunters - has a superb refitted kitchen dining room with adjoining utility room, beautiful period sitting room with exposed beams and inglenook fireplace, master bedroom with en suite bathroom, gardens sweeping around the house and permission for a double garage.
Baldock
Nook Cottage - marketed by Cooper Wallace - is listed for £1.25m and is tucked away at the bottom of a long private driveway just on the outskirts of Baldock. It is just a brief walk to the train station and high street.
With this incredible and unique setting, not only does the location benefit from being so close to the town and all of its amenities, but it also offers rural living with views over open countryside.
Adjoining the private driveway providing access to the home, there are miles of public bridleways taking you to Bygrave, Ashwell and beyond with breath-taking views, perfect for family and dog walks, as well as biking and running.
This quintessential 17th century Grade-II thatched cottage occupies a generous plot of roughly just over 0.3 of an acre, which includes vastly re-landscaped gardens and mature and extensive planting that wrap around the home and 500 sq ft outbuildings, that houses the homes eco-friendly biomass boiler, plenty of storage, garage space and workshop areas.
Gosmore
Check out this Grade II-listed three bedroom detached house with a double garage and a plot of about 0.20 acres in the centre of the village of Gosmore, near Hitchin - with offers at over £1 million.
The property - marketed by Michael Graham Hitchin - is believed to date from 1675 and is set overlooking the village green. The 1,763 sq. ft. of accommodation includes a sitting room, a dining room, a kitchen/breakfast room, rear lobby, and a shower room/utility room on the ground floor.
Two staircases and landings give access to the first floor which includes a 21ft master bedroom, two further double rooms, a study, and a bathroom.
Harpenden
This £1,050,000 apartment - marketed by Hamptons - has been thoughtfully designed offering spacious and stunning living accommodation with two double bedrooms and two bath/shower rooms (one en suite) coupled with an exceptional specification.
The living space and bedrooms enjoy a west facing aspect.
Noteworthy features include a stylish kitchen with Siemens appliances, contemporary bathroom suites from C P Hart, under floor heating, 1 parking space, balcony, landscaped grounds and a 10 year NHBC warranty.
Designed in an Edwardian style to complement the surrounding 'Avenues' houses, these Corner Hall apartments are just a moments’ walk from the village amenities including M&S, the post office and St Nicholas CE church.
Welwyn
This four bedroom bungalow - marketed by Allsopp Estate Agents, Harpenden - will set you back £1,075,000.
‘Rosewood’ is a stunning single storey property, creatively extended and refurbished in recent years to provide a beautiful family home offering both generous and versatile accommodation of two interlinking, but, if required, independent homes.
Set within a gated and very private south facing plot, the home is tastefully appointed throughout with the main house comprising reception hall with large lantern style roof light, superbly apportioned 39’ principal reception room of living and dining areas with bi-fold doors opening onto the rear decked area, beautifully finished kitchen / breakfast room with central island and ‘Corian’ work surfaces, study/bedroom, laundry room and additional shower room.
Leading from the utility room access is gained to the self contained annexe comprising 21’ living room overlooking the gardens, double bedroom with a range of fitted cupboards and a generous sized bathroom, this wing of the house would provide ideal secondary accommodation for relatives whilst still being completely independent.
Vienne, France, £935,000 (or €1,102,000)
For just under a million, you can buy a fairytale castle in the French countryside - and if you love Escape to the Chateau but don’t quite want to do the work yourself, then this one is for you, as it’s been fully refurbished.
It has an entrance hall, salon, formal dining room and fully fitted kitchen on the ground floor, along with six upstairs bedrooms and an additional reception room in the basement.
The former gatekeeper’s cottage has also been converted into a two-bedroom property, complete with open-plan lounge with kitchen and dining room, and there’s an extra two-bed apartment above the garage.
Several other outbuildings could also be converted, and it all sits in around 3.8 hectares of mature parkland, with an additional 2.3 hectares of pasture and woodland.
Lower Manhattan, New York, £1,130,000 ($1,500,000 USD)
This loft apartment, which was built in 1867 and converted in the late 1990s, offers all the charm of ‘Old New York’.
It features huge 11’ ceilings, exposed brick walls and original timber columns, while three enormous double-glazed windows let in plenty of light.
The chef’s kitchen is well-kitted out and features high-end appliances as well as space to eat, and there is also a combined living and dining room, plus a marble-finished bathroom.
A wall of floating bookshelves divides the rest of the living space before leading to a separate sitting room with a cosy sleeping area and a walk-in wardrobe.
Vancouver, Canada, £1,320,000 ($2,248,000 CAD)
Warm wooden floors and a swirling staircase give this two-storey, two-bedroom apartment a much more traditional feel than you might expect – along with a cosy fireplace in the main living room and two reading libraries.
The master bedroom is located on the second floor and offers lovely views, and it also has a walk-in wardrobe and an en suite bathroom.
The second bedroom benefits from its own en suite and also has a window seat to make the most of the views. Double-height windows allow you to look out over the Vancouver mountains.
Dubai, UAE, £1,180,000 (AEد.إ5,753,888)
For £1.2m, you can buy a whole new lifestyle. This four-bedroom apartment is located in Downtown Views II, a chic apartment and leisure complex overlooking the Burj Khalifa, with the iconic Dubai Mall virtually on its doorstep.
It is also surrounded by high-end hotels, iconic restaurants and a state-of-the-art health club.
Inside, the rooms are light, airy and modern and include a contemporary and well-fitted kitchen. Floor-to-ceiling windows maximise the views.
Noosaville, Australia, £1,185,000 ($2,200,000 AUD)
This single-storey property is positioned in the heart of Noosa Waters in Queensland and is described as an “oasis”, offering a gorgeous pool and beautifully landscaped gardens.
It has four bedrooms, two bathrooms, formal and informal living areas and a spacious modern kitchen, which is well-fitted with high-end appliances and blends beautifully with the outdoor space.
The property also backs on to a natural reserve park and has a large double garage.
Eagles Nest, Barbados, £1,200,000 ($1,600,000 USD)
There are both sea and country views on offer at this four-bedroom villa in Barbados, which comprises a spacious modern kitchen, formal dining room with wet bar, living room and office.
The main house has three bedrooms – including a master with en suite and patio doors that open out on to the sun deck – and the fourth bedroom is located in the separate cottage, which also has its own bathroom and a kitchenette.
Outside there is a free-form pool with a jacuzzi as well as a large garden, sun deck, terrace, garage and kennels.
Henderson, Nevada, £940,000 ($1,250,000 USD)
Coming in at just under a million is this four-bedroom, five-bathroom custom home, which is part of a guard-gated community south of Las Vegas.
The property offers open and airy living spaces, as well as spa-inspired en suites and a recently renovated kitchen featuring custom-made cabinets, high-end appliances and instant hot water.
In the back garden there is a large swimming pool, featuring a slide and diving board, as well as a fire pit, stage, rain arch water feature and plenty of lush, green grass. The property also has a three-car garage.
Please note: all prices in GBP are based on current exchange rates at the time of writing.
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