North Shields, Tyne and Wear

In October the average UK property price topped £270,000 for the first time, according to Halifax. In Smith’s Dock that buys a fourth-floor, three-bedroom apartment with huge windows overlooking the River Tyne. A Victorian shipyard that has been converted into a neighbourhood with family homes designed by Channel 4’s resident architect George Clarke, it sits on the estuary as the river meets the North Sea within Fish Quay, teeming with bars and restaurants. Nearby is Longsands beach, a favourite with surfers. £270,000. Sanderson Young, 0191 213 0033

New Town, Edinburgh

This conservation area is a Unesco world heritage site because of its neo-classical architecture, and 18th and 19th century town planning. Only a short walk from the buzz of Princes Street and the boutiques of George Street, there is a one-bedroom lower ground floor apartment for sale in a converted Georgian terrace. Down some steps is the private courtyard entrance, with room for outdoor seating. A glass door leads into the living area. Timber-effect laminate flooring runs throughout the newly painted flat. £275,000. Coulters, 0131 6037 333

Reigate, Surrey

Gone are the days when £270,000 would buy the whole of this tile-hung period property. In today’s market it will get you a one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment in this handsome house. Well situated, it is a short stroll one way to the lawn tennis club and rugby club and a 10-minute walk in the other direction to the railway station, where trains run to London Victoria. The town sits just below the Surrey Hills area of outstanding natural beauty, close to the National Trust’s Box Hill, popular with cyclists. £275,000. Jackson Stops, 01737 222 027

Shipton-under-Wychwood, Oxfordshire

This two-bedroom apartment is in the Grade II-listed Old Prebendal Court. The 17th century pile, made from Cotswold stone with a slate roof, is now a retirement complex. The ground-floor property has one bathroom and one reception room, with a terrace and access to the communal grounds, which run down to the River Evenlode. Residents can be completely independent but can call upon the domestic and nursing services if needed, and cleaning and maintenance are included in the service charge. Burford is five miles away. £250,000. Butler Sherborn, 01993 822 325

Chelsea, London

This studio flat is only 18 sq metres (195 sq ft) with an eat-in, sleep-in living area but it is on Sloane Avenue, one of the most sought-after locations in the UK and the playground of the elite. The fourth-floor apartment has a separate kitchen and bathroom, in a building with a concierge service and lift. It sits on a strip of boutiques, bars and restaurants that run from Brompton Road to King’s Road. There’s a Daylesford Organic farmshop, Gaucho and Tokyo Sukiyaki Tei on the doorstep, and Daphne’s restaurant is great for people watching. £285,000. Foxtons, 020 7591 9000