New homes in the south-east

Long benefiting from the Greater London sprawl the south-east has some of the highest property prices in the country, second only to the capital itself. An average property costs just shy of £300,000, according to online estate agents RightMove.co.uk. But, for their investment, homeowners get access to a great variety of one of the country's most vibrant regions, stretching from the hip streets of Brighton, through the cathedral town of St Albans and city of Canterbury. The region also serves as a commuter-belt for London, especially from the counties of Surrey and Kent.