Snooping around: Rural, urban or renovation

In the country: Burdrop, near Banbury, Oxfordshire. For £285,000 this is a rustic fantasy in a cute village with more space than you’d expect – two receptions, three bedrooms and a glory of beams, mullions and an inglenook. The downside is that the garden is a mere courtyard.
Strutt & Parker, 01295 273592.
Photograph: Strutt & Parker

In town: Camberwell, London. On the market for £315,000, this property is reasonably large with two double bedrooms and a 17.5ft lounge. The interior is embellished with bamboo flooring, granite tiles and glass bricks. Handily placed for public transport, Kennington tube is a 10-minute walk away. The downside is that there's no private outside space, not even for a deckchair.
Wooster & Stock, 0845 680 0460
Photograph: Wooster & Stock

Wreck of the week: Grantham, Lincolnshire. At £300,000 these disintegrating farm buildings, set in the centre of the village of Barrowby, need demolition and a total rebirth. Allow another £300,000 to fulfil the current planning brief. However, if you can stand the process, you'll end up with 6,000 sq ft house with a guest cottage set in large grounds.
Chesterton Humberts, 01476 514514
Photograph: Chesterton Humberts

Dream home: Wester Ross, Scotland. This blissfully isolated property is at the end of the Applecross peninsula in Wester Ross and the journey along this spit of land passes some of the finest scenery in Scotland. Glass doors open the sitting room up on to the garden and the beach and you can see across the water to Skye from your sofa. There are three large bedrooms and a study. The £310,000 price tag includes a kayak and there's a slipway to help you reach any larger craft that might tempt you.
Bell Ingram, 01463 717 799
Photograph: Bell Ingram

Over the sea: Montenegro. The town of Perast is one of the most exquisite along Montenegro's Kotor Fjord and its historic core is protected by UNESCO. Within it is this one-bedroom, fully furnished apartment, poised on the shore with views across the water to two islands. You get your own front door and garden plus a 20 sq metre terrace from which to absorb the scenery. All of this will set you back £248,298.
Savills Montenegro 00 382 32 304 788
Photograph: Savills Montenegro