In Hackney, £1m (or thereabouts) can get you a stunning Grade II-listed 19th-century church conversion, with rooftop views of the city.
But what about the rest of the world?
We’ve gone fantasy house-hunting to compare what you can buy here and abroad and looked at homes for sale across the globe, from France and Australia to Dubai and New York.
Let’s start at home in 95 Eastway, Hackney Wick, where for £1,250,000 you can buy this refurbished 19th century tower with period features, double-height ceilings, exposed bricks and a private rooftop terrace.
Completed in 2014 and Grade II listed, The Tower has won a RIBA National Award and a New London Architecture Award.
The apartment has two bedrooms, two living rooms and a mezzanine gallery connected by a stone spiral staircase.
Vienne, France, £935,000 (or €1,102,000)
For just under a million, you can buy a fairytale castle in the French countryside - and if you love Escape to the Chateau but don’t quite want to do the work yourself, then this one is for you, as it’s been fully refurbished.
It has an entrance hall, salon, formal dining room and fully fitted kitchen on the ground floor, along with six upstairs bedrooms and an additional reception room in the basement.
The former gatekeeper’s cottage has also been converted into a two-bedroom property, complete with open-plan lounge with kitchen and dining room, and there’s an extra two-bed apartment above the garage.
Several other outbuildings could also be converted, and it all sits in around 3.8 hectares of mature parkland, with an additional 2.3 hectares of pasture and woodland.
Lower Manhattan, New York, £1,130,000 ($1,500,000 USD)
This loft apartment, which was built in 1867 and converted in the late 1990s, offers all the charm of ‘Old New York’.
It features huge 11’ ceilings, exposed brick walls and original timber columns, while three enormous double-glazed windows let in plenty of light.
The chef’s kitchen is well-kitted out and features high-end appliances as well as space to eat, and there is also a combined living and dining room, plus a marble-finished bathroom.
A wall of floating bookshelves divides the rest of the living space before leading to a separate sitting room with a cosy sleeping area and a walk-in wardrobe.
Vancouver, Canada, £1,320,000 ($2,248,000 CAD)
Warm wooden floors and a swirling staircase give this two-storey, two-bedroom apartment a much more traditional feel than you might expect – along with a cosy fireplace in the main living room and two reading libraries.
The master bedroom is located on the second floor and offers lovely views, and it also has a walk-in wardrobe and an en suite bathroom.
The second bedroom benefits from its own en suite and also has a window seat to make the most of the views. Double-height windows allow you to look out over the Vancouver mountains.
Dubai, UAE, £1,180,000 (AEد.إ5,753,888)
For £1.2m, you can buy a whole new lifestyle. This four-bedroom apartment is located in Downtown Views II, a chic apartment and leisure complex overlooking the Burj Khalifa, with the iconic Dubai Mall virtually on its doorstep.
It is also surrounded by high-end hotels, iconic restaurants and a state-of-the-art health club.
Inside, the rooms are light, airy and modern and include a contemporary and well-fitted kitchen. Floor-to-ceiling windows maximise the views.
Noosaville, Australia, £1,185,000 ($2,200,000 AUD)
This single-storey property is positioned in the heart of Noosa Waters in Queensland and is described as an “oasis”, offering a gorgeous pool and beautifully landscaped gardens.
It has four bedrooms, two bathrooms, formal and informal living areas and a spacious modern kitchen, which is well-fitted with high-end appliances and blends beautifully with the outdoor space.
The property also backs on to a natural reserve park and has a large double garage.
Eagles Nest, Barbados, £1,200,000 ($1,600,000 USD)
There are both sea and country views on offer at this four-bedroom villa in Barbados, which comprises a spacious modern kitchen, formal dining room with wet bar, living room and office.
The main house has three bedrooms – including a master with en suite and patio doors that open out on to the sun deck – and the fourth bedroom is located in the separate cottage, which also has its own bathroom and a kitchenette.
Outside there is a free-form pool with a jacuzzi as well as a large garden, sun deck, terrace, garage and kennels.
Henderson, Nevada, £940,000 ($1,250,000 USD)
Coming in at just under a million is this four-bedroom, five-bathroom custom home, which is part of a guard-gated community south of Las Vegas.
The property offers open and airy living spaces, as well as spa-inspired en suites and a recently renovated kitchen featuring custom-made cabinets, high-end appliances and instant hot water.
In the back garden there is a large swimming pool, featuring a slide and diving board, as well as a fire pit, stage, rain arch water feature and plenty of lush, green grass. The property also has a three-car garage.
Please note: all prices in GBP are based on current exchange rates at the time of writing.
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