Snooping around: Rural, urban or renovation

Wreck of the week: Chatton, Northumberland. This stone bungalow is cosmetically dated – £50,000 should replace the kitchen, bathroom and wiring. It has two bedrooms, a bathroom and is surrounded by a garden with sweeping views over the moor. It's yours for £179,950.
Smiths Gore, 01289 333030 Photograph: Smiths Gore/Smiths Gore

In town: London W5. This 17th-century alms house swallowed a next-door electricity substation to create a vast entertaining room. A normal sitting room is in the main house, along with four bedrooms, a country style kitchen/breakfast room, a modern bathroom and two shower rooms. Outside there is a lovely garden with box hedges, but beyond that is a main road. Cost: £1.25m.
Sinton Andrews, 020 8566 1990 Photograph: Sinton Andrews/Sinton Andrews

In the country: Higher Penponds, Cornwall. The hallway of this £280,000 three-bedder is larger than most sitting rooms. The kitchen is on the spacious side, as are the bedrooms, and there's also a study and a lounge. It's a shame your privacy could be compromised – two bedrooms open into the upstairs shower room.
Stratton Creber, 01209 717117 Photograph: Stratton Creber/Stratton Creber

Bargain of the week: Dorset. If £299,000 seems steep for two bedrooms, consider that it should be up to 20% more were it not for a couple of oddities: the main garden from where you can fish in the river Stour is separated from the house and courtyard by a busy main road, and the private parking is a few minutes walk away, although you can leave the car outside. The consolation is two reception rooms, a decent kitchen, a study and a foothold in the pretty village of Charlton Marshall.
Chesterton Humberts, 01258 452343 Photograph: Chesterton Humberts/Chesterton Humberts

Over the sea: Croatia. This old stone cottage is perched above a pebble beach in the fishing village of Pisak. Split airport is 50km away, but you won't be wanting to leave with views of the sea and mountains to enjoy from the two terraces. The three double bedrooms, the snug and the stone-walled living area come fully furnished, and the current owners have made a decent income from holiday lets. Yours for £142,600.
Trgostan Agency, 00385 21343 105 Photograph: Trgostan Agency/Trgostan Agency