Hot demand makes Yorkshire a prestige property hotspot

A survey by property website Zoopla reveals that there are now 3,041 ‘property millionaires’ in Yorkshire, 22 per cent more than there were a year ago.

Only the East of England with 46,863 £1m-plus houses has experienced a bigger increase in 2015 (28.3 per cent) but with demand continuing to exceed supply, Yorkshire is expected to remain a prestige property hotspot in 2016.

There are currently 622,939 houses valued at more than £1m in Britain, an increase of over 75,000 since last December.

The overwhelming majority of the country’s most expensive real estate is to be found in London and the South East, which is home to 82 per cent of property millionaires.

Wales has the fewest seven-figure houses with 1,404 and though Scotland has 8,893 £1m-plus homes, the total has fallen by 4.5 per cent in the last 12 months.

Zoopla spokesman Lawrence Hall said: “It’s interesting to see that areas such as the East of England and Yorkshire hae seen bigger percentage rises in the numbers of property millionaires over the last 12 months compared with the south, which typically dominates each year.

“However, the number of properties valued at more than £1m in the South still outweighs the rest of Britain, boosted by wealthy hotspots such as Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster.

“With an improving economy and the ongoing lack of housing supply, this continues to put upward pressure on house prices at all levels of the market and has nudged a whole new raft of properties over the £1m-mark.

“A price tag that was once the exclusive preserve of stately homes or massive mansions is now an in reasingly common label for more modest houses, particularly in the capital.”

Here are five of the best £1m-plus houses currently on the market in Yorkshire:

Wentworth Woodhouse, South Yorkshire

The largest privately-owned house in Europe is currently on the market at ‘offers over £8m’ and comes with 82 acres of gardens, parkland and woodland. The Grade 1-listed Georgian mansion has more than 300 rooms and features five follies in its extensive grounds.

Downton Abbey with knobs on.

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Kirby Knowle Castle, Thirsk

With sections dating back to the 13th century, Kirby Knowle is a landmark mediaeval castle set in 37 acres on the edge of the Hambleton Hills close to Sutton Bank. Famous visitors include Mary Queen of Scots. It comes with 12 bedrooms, a priest hole and a separate three-bedroom cottage. Feel like the king (or queen) in your own castle for just £4m.

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Bentley Hall, Beverley

If hunting, shooting and fishing is your bag then this six-bedroom country pile in the East Riding could be just for you. A fully stocked fishing lake, clay pigeon shooting range, swimming pool and gymnasium complex are all included for the £2.35m asking price.

The ultimate place in the country.

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Moorend, Silkstone Common, South Yorkshire

Fancy a change of scenery, itching to move but don’t want to leave the family behind? Then take them all with you to this sprawling £2m farmstead comprising four separate properties with 14 bedrooms set around a central courtyard in 40 acres of farmland.

Perfect for the nuclear Yorkshire family.

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Thorner Lane, Scarcroft, Leeeds

One of the most recent additions to Yorkshire’s £1m-plus property portfolio, this eight-bedroom detached family home on the outskirts of Leeds comes with an attached annexe and manageable grounds. Just sneaks in at ‘offers over £1m.’

If you’ve only got a million to spend, this could be the one.

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