Snooping around: Rural, urban or renovation

Wreck of the week: Gwynedd. A distressed stone cottage that is little more than a pile of stones looks a little steep at £120,000, especially when you'll need to spend up to £100,000 renovating it. But planners are happy for it to become a two- or three-bedroom house and it is near Groeslon, on the edge of Snowdonia.
Williams & Goodwin, 01248 355333 Photograph: Williams & Goodwin/Williams & Goodwin

In the country: Shropshire. Great views of Bucknell Hill to the rear and a valley and wood from the front. This £360,000 beauty sits up a tiny lane on the rim of Bucknell village, which has a thriving community with church, shop, pub and primary school. It's a shame that you have to go through the third bedroom to reach the master chamber.
McCartneys 01584 872153 Photograph: McCartneys/McCartneys

In town: Salisbury, Wiltshire. Rarely can you gain a foothold in Salisbury's historic cathedral close. This £885,000 four-bed house is in De Vaux Place, just outside the south gate, but you get the liberty of the close which means a key allowing you to cut through into town even when it's locked.
Humberts 01722 324422 Photograph: Humberts/Humberts

Over the sea: Madeira. Tumbling down the hillside above the capital, Funchal, is this gently coloured development, built in the grounds of an old hunting lodge. €325,000 will secure the cheapest of the one-bedroom apartments and earn you a taste of paradise. The bay and the city are spread below each balcony and residents get use of the golf course, hotel facilities and motor yacht. It's a 20-minute drive from the international airport.
Palheiro Estate 00 351 291 794 015 Photograph: Palheiro Estate/Palheiro Estate

Dream home: Lake District. You can play at royalty here without raiding your savings. Available for long-term rent, this castle was built in the early 1300s with modern bits added around 1680. You would dwell behind nine-foot-thick walls, girded by the remains of the moat. Four bedrooms are distributed among the towers, and you can pace the battlements with views to the fells. Gardens and a paddock surround. Near Ullswater. Rent around £1,000 per month.
Penrith Farmers' & Kidd's 01768 862135 Photograph: Penrith Farmers' & Kidd's/Penrith Farmers' & Kidd's