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Property: Urban appeal of city centre homes

York. Photo: Carter Jonas
City centre living is back in fashion. Photo: Carter Jonas (Carter Jonas)

If you want to live in the heart of the action, with eateries, entertainment and all manner of amenities on the doorstep, you’re far from alone.

Following the pandemic, demand for urban living has soared, resulting in price growth in Britain’s cities outstripping the national average.

Property portal Rightmove found that average asking prices in the top 10 city hotspots rose by 12.6% over the past year, compared with 9.9% across the country as a whole, and estate agents report a similar surge in demand on the continent.

So why not ditch the car and take your pick from this round up of city centre homes for sale?

1. Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, £229,950

milton keynes
Someone is sure to snap up this snazzy one bed in downtown Milton Keynes soon. Photo: Connells

Ideal for a first-time buyer, this second floor flat is in a modern development in one of eight UK towns that has been awarded new city status to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

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There’s a double bedroom, bathroom, and an open plan living/dining room leading into the kitchen, though eating out all the time might be tempting as it’s located in The Hub, a buzzy restaurant, café and leisure quarter.

The mainline station — with fast trains into London — is under 10 minutes’ walk. Find out more from Connells.

2. Ely, Cambridgeshire, £275,000

Terrace house in the centre of Ely.
A cute terrace in the centre of Ely, within easy reach of Cambridge. Photo: Cheffins

A mid-terraced house in a historic cathedral city that’s proving popular with London leavers and Cambridge commuters.

The property is a short walk from the River Great Ouse, the station and shops, and opens into a living room with a feature fireplace then through into a rustic kitchen with room to sit and eat.

Upstairs are two bedrooms and a bathroom, all with exposed wooden floors, plus a loft room, and the courtyard garden contains an outbuilding that could be turned into an office or hobby room. From Cheffins.

Read more: 8 surprising things that devalue your property

3. Glasgow, offers over £295,000

A property for sale in Glasgow city centre.
This gorgeous and incredibly spacious two-bed is located in the centre of Glasgow. Photo: Purplebricks

With an area of over 1,200 square feet, this two-bedroom apartment is exceptionally spacious and has a large open plan living/dining room with a mezzanine — currently used as a study — and a balcony off the master bedroom.

It’s on the second floor of the Italian Centre, one of the first buildings to be redeveloped in Merchant City’s regeneration and includes boutiques and bars as well as upmarket homes, all arranged around a communal courtyard.

The Style Mile, George Square, Central and Queen Street stations are nearby. For sale through Purplebricks.

Read more: 7 homes with glorious vistas

4. London, £500,000

Studio apartment Piccadilly Circus
You'd be hard pushed to find an apartment more central than this studio flat in London's Piccadilly Circus. Photo: Foxtons

What this second floor studio apartment lacks in space it more than makes up for in terms of location as it’s bang in the middle of Piccadilly Circus so you’ll be able to stumble out of a Soho club in the small hours and be home in minutes.

Despite its small proportions, it’s well planned, consisting of a kitchen/studio room with a Juliet balcony, a partitioned sleeping area, shower room and integrated storage throughout. Get the full lowdown from Foxtons.

5. Lisbon, Portugal, €725,000 (approx. £618,296)

An apartment for sale in the city centre of Lisbon
This city centre apartment in Lisbon is on one of the city's most prestigious shopping streets. Photo: Nest Seekers International

Lovers of designer labels will have a field day in this second floor, two-bedroom flat as it’s in a recently renovated building on Lisbon’s swankiest shopping street, and moments from stores such as Prada, Cartier and Dior.

The façade is traditional but internally this home is very contemporary, kitted out with an all-white, flat-fronted kitchen, oak floors, marble tiles in both bathrooms, and air conditioning and accessed via a lift.

There’s also a balcony and a private garden. Through Nest Seekers International.

6. Birmingham, £700,000

House for sale in the centre of Birmingham
This Grade II listed townhouse in Birmingham is right in the heart of the jewellery quarter. Photo: Fine & Country

This Grade II listed townhouse sits in a quiet cul-de-sac in the midst of the fashionable Jewellery Quarter and is much bigger than it appears from the outside.

Arranged over four storeys, the layout is reversed, with the three bedrooms and three bathrooms on the ground and first floors, the kitchen, living/dining area and a balcony on the second floor and another living space, a mezzanine study and second balcony at the top. Via Fine & Country.

Read more: 7 'chocolate box' country cottages

7. York, £1.5m

A property for sale in the centre of York
City centre living in historic York. Photo: Carter Jonas

Well-preserved medieval shopping street The Shambles, York Minster and the station are within easy reach of this Grade II* listed townhouse, set within the city walls in the lively Micklegate Quarter.

The five-storey house has recently been refurbished and reconfigured to maximise light and views, and includes five bedrooms, three reception rooms, a games room, a patio, roof terrace and original features such as fireplaces and ornate plasterwork. Contact Carter Jonas.

8. Milan, Italy, 1.98m (approx £1,686,793)

A apartment in the city centre of Milan
The apartment is in the city centre of Milan. Photo: Engel & Volkers

Situated in Porta Nuova between the arty Brera District and trendy Corso Como, this apartment occupies the first floor of an elegant building with a full-time concierge.

It comprises an open plan kitchen/living/dining area, two double bedrooms, two bathrooms and a study fitted with magnificent wall-to-wall bookcases that originated from a 19th century pharmacy.

The large terrace is equipped with an automatic irrigation system, and the heating, electrics, alarm and air conditioning are all smart controlled. Through Engel & Volkers.

Watch: Will UK house prices ever fall?