If you’re a fan of fallen footballing idols then the past month has been strewn with the stories of Premiership players and their complicated love interests, inadvisable drinking habits and erratic driving skills.

But the biggest story of the year so far has been John Terry’s forays into the tabloids over his extra marital affair with model Vanessa Parroncel, which has made much of his genteel life at the sumptous Terry family home  in Oxshott, Surrey.

We thought we’d find out what sort of houses are for sale in this usually little-reported backwater of suburban Surrey to see what attracts footballers along with their wives and girlfriends. Welcome to the Wag world of Oxshott.

(Click on the pictures for more images – go on, you know you want to…)

1. TO KICK OFF
Where: Oxshott Crown Estate
Price: £5,750,000

2. IN TOO DEEP
Where: Broomfield Ride
Price: £5,250,000

3. COOKING UP A STORM
Where: Queens Drive
Price: £5,000,000

4. TUB FOR TWO
Where: Leys Road
Price: £3,750,000

5. SKINNY DIPPING
Where: Fairoak Lane
Price: £2,850,000

The ten towns with the largest house price rises during the past decade were not big cities, gentrified suburbs or must-have market towns but rather seaside towns, research has revealed. And out of these salt-water havens with high house price rises, three out of the top four were in Cornwall.

Despite being one of Britain’s poorest counties,  Cornwall remains an intensely popular place to both retire, escape to the country or (more controversially) own a second home.

To highlight Cornwall’s appeal, here are five holiday homes overlooking the sea with cream tea qualities:

(Click on pics for more images & full property details)

1. SEASIDE ROCK
Where? Rocky Lane, St Agnes
Price? £525,000

2. HEY BUDE
Where? Black Rock Sands, Widemouth Bay, Bude
Price? £485,000

3. BACK TO THE BAY
Where? The Bay, Talland Bay, Looe
Price? £399,000

4. SWISS CHALET BY THE SEA
Where? Trewince Manor, Portscatho
Price? £260,000

5. ALWAYS OVERLOOK THE SEA
Where? Plaidy Beach Apartments, Looe
Price? £239,995

We’re going for an industrial theme this week, with a focus on homes in what were once dark, dingy and decidedly unlovely workplaces, but are now so light and airy former workers might be shocked to see the transformation.

The idea came from our recent blog about the piano factory loft conversion, an inspired design from the renowned architect, Piers Gough.

But would we be able to find five more factory conversions on the market?

Yes, we can – and with the added bonus that each original building produced a different type of goods in its industrial heyday.

Here are our top five factory conversions:

(Click on pics for more images & full property details)

1. BANG ON THE MONEY
What? Former Ironworks - Shoreditch, London E2
Price: £1,200,000

2. BRIGHT AS A BUTTON
What? Former Shirt Factory – Southwark, London SE1
Price: £549,950

3. ITCHING TO GET IN?
What? Former Horsehair factory – Glemsford, Suffolk
Price: £275,000

4. A STRONG PLUG
What? Former Spark Plug Factory – Olny, Buckinghamshire.
Price: £195,000

5. FEELS GOOD UNDER FOOT
Former Shoe Factory – Wellingborough, Northamptonshire
£145,000

Recent research from the Halifax has identified the top twenty most expensive streets in England and Wales.

Based on transactions recorded on the Land Registry between 2005 and 2009, the Halifax report reveals that the top ten streets with the highest price tags were all located in Greater London.

Of these, seven streets were situated in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, with Wycombe Square hitting the top spot with an average property price of £5,401,447.

Hampstead’s Ingram Avenue was runner up with homes there valued at an average of £4,872,500.

Outside of London, Moles Hill in Leatherhead, Surrey possesses the highest house prices of £2,645,000, while Withinlee Road in Macclesfield was the highest priced outside southern England (£1,205,833).

In Wales, the most expensive was Druidstone Road in the Old St Mellons area of Cardiff, with an average house price of £621,000.

Second dearest in Wales was Cefn Mably Park in Cefn Mably (west of Newport) where a property on average would set you back £564,612.

Halifax’s report also found that five out of the nine English regions all contained streets where the average property was worth over a million pounds.

(Click on pics for more images & full property details)

House for Sale in England’s Most Expensive Street

Property for sale in Wycombe Square, London W8. Asking Price £10,350,000. Knight Frank, Tel: 0843 2818 126 (BT 4p/min.)

House for Sale in Wales’ Most Expensive Street

Property for sale in Druidstone Road, Cardiff. Asking Price £1,495,000. Kelvin Francis, Tel: 0292 076 6538

Nightmare-inducing statistics* from Rentokil warn that increased numbers of rats are invading British homes to find some respite from the wintery weather conditions.

It appears that the much-reviled creatures are just as opposed to snow, sleet and freezing temperatures as we are, and have been burrowing their way into our centrally heated houses to keep warm and dry.

So, how do you cut down the risk of a rodent invasion?  Rule number one, says Rentokil, is: don’t leave rubbish outside your home.

This, it would seem, is the rat equivalent of placing a red carpet on your pathway and a great big WELCOME! banner over your door.

Secondly, make sure that you seal any holes or gaps in your house, particularly around pipes, and repair or replace broken drain covers.

Rats only need minimal entry space and – yikes! – can even emerge from sewer systems. (Yes, I’d thought that was an urban myth too.)

If you’re concerned that you may be unwillingly co-habiting with a colony of rats, Rentokil have a handy “Signs of a Rat Problem” section on their website, as well as some excellent rat-busting advice.

*Rentokil saw a 34 per cent rise in rodent-related callouts between Jan 07-Dec 07 and Jan 08-Dec 08.

In 2009, local councils were called out to deal with 700,000 infestations, compared with 650,000 the previous year.

All this hideous weather we’ve been having lately has turned me into a complete homebody.

Normally, I’d be going slightly stir crazy if I had to stay in every night but that’s not been the case at all; I’m perfectly content to be cosied up with a large glass of warming wine in my hand.

Indeed, it’s that winning combination – home comforts plus the joys of wine – which has influenced this week’s property choice: homes with wine cellars.

Here are our top five delectable dwellings, all of which come complete with wine cellar:

(Click on pics for more images & full property details)

1. Regent’s Park, London NW1
£7,995,000

4-bedroom house, Regent's Park, London NW1. On sale with Knight Frank at £7,995,000 – Tel: 0843 2829 560 (BT 4p/min)

2. Barnet, Herts.
£6,500,000

7-bedroom house, Barnet, Hertfordshire. On sale with Savills at £6,500,000 – Tel: 0843 2822 125 (BT 4p/min)

3. The Chapel, London NW7
£2,500,000

3-bedroom house, Mill Hill, London NW7. On sale with Godfrey Barr at £2,500,000 – Tel: 0843 2832 258 (BT 4p/min)

4. Derby, Derbyshire
£725,000

6-bedroom house, Derby, Derbyshire. On sale with Scargill Mann & Co. at £725,000 – Tel: 0843 2822 342 (BT 4p/min)

5. Madeley, Cheshire
£650,000

4-bedroom house, Madeley, Cheshire. On sale with Cheshire Lamont at £650,000 – Tel: 0843 2837 113 (BT 4p/min)

Feast your eyes on this handsome 18th century mansion house in the heart of Kent’s idyllic countryside, which can claim two impressive links to both ceramic and evolutionary history.

1. It once belonged to Sarah Wedgwood, daughter of Josiah Wedgwood, the man credited with making the Staffordshire pottery industry – and his surname – into a world-renowned brand.

2. Sarah’s sister, Emma, was married to Charles Darwin and lived nearby in Downe House, now a museum about and shrine to the discoverer of evolution.

How thrilling to have been a dinner party guest when the owner’s brother-in-law dropped in to say hello… and just imagine the delightful tableware.

7-bedroom house, Downe, Kent, £2,399,500. On sale through Savills, Locksbottom - 0843 2822 039 (BT 4p/min)

7-bedroom house, Downe, Kent, £2,399,500. On sale through Savills, Locksbottom - 0843 2822 039 (BT 4p/min)

7-bedroom house, Downe, Kent, £2,399,500. On sale through Savills, Locksbottom - 0843 2822 039 (BT 4p/min)

7-bedroom house, Downe, Kent, £2,399,500. On sale through Savills, Locksbottom - 0843 2822 039 (BT 4p/min)

7-bedroom house, Downe, Kent, £2,399,500. On sale through Savills, Locksbottom - 0843 2822 039 (BT 4p/min)

7-bedroom house, Downe, Kent, £2,399,500. On sale through Savills, Locksbottom - 0843 2822 039 (BT 4p/min)

In the 19th and early 20th centuries, keyboards were big business in Kentish Town, London – so much so, that in 1901 The Piano Journal described the area as “that healthful suburb dear to the heart of the piano maker.”

This amazing loft apartment can be found on the first floor of the former Alison Piano Factory on Charlton Kings Road, NW5.

(Click on pics for more images and full property details)

£824,950, 3-bed apartment, Charlton Kings Road, Kentish Town, NW5, Goldschmidt & Howland (Tel:0843 2811 641)

It was designed by architectural enfant terrible Piers Gough who, apparently, drew his inspiration for the interior from the curved lines of a grand piano (check the floor plans and it makes sense).

The highlights include timber floors, beamed double-height ceilings, tiled support columns decorated with dragons, antique hospital radiators and large industrial windows.

It’s warm, woody, and very cosy looking, but it’s roomy too: three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a funky open-plan living space that looks made for partying.

If you could put this place to music it would definitely be more Boogie Woogie than Beethoven, with maybe a dash of Theolonious Monk thrown in for good measure.

It definitely tickles our ivories: we like!

£824,950, 3-bed apartment, Charlton Kings Road, Kentish Town, NW5, Goldschmidt & Howland (Tel:0843 2811 641)

£824,950, 3-bed apartment, Charlton Kings Road, Kentish Town, NW5, Goldschmidt & Howland (Tel:0843 2811 641)

£824,950, 3-bed apartment, Charlton Kings Road, Kentish Town, NW5, Goldschmidt & Howland (Tel:0843 2811 641)

£824,950, 3-bed apartment, Charlton Kings Road, Kentish Town, NW5, Goldschmidt & Howland (Tel:0843 2811 641)

£824,950, 3-bed apartment, Charlton Kings Road, Kentish Town, NW5, Goldschmidt & Howland (Tel:0843 2811 641)

£824,950, 3-bed apartment, Charlton Kings Road, Kentish Town, NW5, Goldschmidt & Howland (Tel:0843 2811 641)

A recent report from Cluttons revealed that riverfront flats have been among the most resilient of London property types over the last couple of years.

They cite several reasons for this: the aesthetic appeal; proximity to London’s landmarks; an influx of people migrating from the suburbs back into the city centre; and the regeneration that’s taking place around the Thames area.

And then, of course, there’s the “limited edition” factor of a waterfront flat, with few opportunities left for further developments to be built along London’s famous riverbank.

With all that in mind, we’ve had a trawl through our riverfront properties in London to bring you five rather fabulous flats with wonderful views of the water:

(Click on pics for more images and full property details)

1. Vogans Mill Wharf SE1
£3,999,950

3-bed flat Vogans Mill Wharf, £3,999,950, Cluttons - 0843 2835 490 (BT 4p/min)

2. Albert Embankment SW8
£2,500,000

3-bed flat Albert Embankment, £2,500,000, Foxtons - 020 7591 9000

3. Putney Wharf Tower, SW15
£1,150,000

3-bed flat Putney Wharf Tower, £1,150,000, Hamptons - 0843 2815 501 (BT 4p/min)

4. Corbetts Wharf SE16
£875,000

2-bed flat Corbetts Wharf, £875,000, Knight Frank - 0843 2818 153 (BT 4p/min)

5. Butlers Wharf SE1
£695,000

1-bed flat Butlers Wharf, £695,000, Hamptons - 0843 2842 469 (BT 4p/min)

Surely the ultimate in green one-upmanship for all the Jocastas and Joshuas, is Plan Toys’ very model of a modern green dollhouse?

Plan Toys' Green Dollhouse

Gone is the Victoriana chintz, the tiny china tea-set and the traditional grandfather clock. Instead, your eco-conscious kiddies can now play with a wee wooden wind turbine, a pint sized solar panel and put their pretend (organic, of course) vegetable peelings into teeny tiny recycling bins.

I really want to like this house, I do. Why only recently I bought a Plan Toys puzzle for my nephew and it was beautifully made, plus their environmental and social policies are very admirable, but for me this has crossed the line from green chic, over to green smug.

Moreover, playing with this toy will apparently teach children “how appliances in the Green Dollhouse assist their daily life without damaging the environment. They will also learn how electricity can be generated from alternative natural sources such as the sun and wind.”

Really? I thought playing with a dollhouse should be just … playing? No?

Or maybe this is just my sour grapes because I never had such a fancy-dancy dollhouse when I was growing up. Not that I wanted one, of course. I made do with a cardboard box and a rusty nail. (Life was hard, you were lucky, etc., etc.)

(via NOTCOT.org)