Snooping around: Rural, urban or renovation

In the country: Yorkshire. The charming semi-rural village of Woolley is close to Wakefield, and Leeds is commutable. Inside this £275,000 three-bed converted barn are beams, exposed brick, a generous open-plan lounge/dining room, and a swish fitted kitchen complete with granite worktops and a stable door leading to the garden. You may want to tinker with the décor – it is neutral bordering on the bland. The garden is communal.
Manning Stainton, 01924 234888 Photograph: Manning Stainton/Manning Stainton

In town: Castle Road, Bedford. This four-bedder has bay-fronted period grandeur. It has three receptions, fireplaces throughout, stripped floors and a large kitchen/breakfast room, all of which add to the charm. It is close to the lovely Russell Park in this sought-after area of Bedford. It is a shame the courtyard garden is so small. Yours for £325,000.
Hollands Smith, 01234 216612 Photograph: Hollands Smith/Hollands Smith

Wreck of the week: Peckham, London. This three-bed Victorian semi has been untouched for years – you could spend £50,000 refurbishing it. It has got a great bone structure with bright, well-proportioned rooms and period details, and three good-sized double bedrooms. The brochure lists a conservatory, which is overdoing it a bit; it's really just a narrow lean-to. Yours for £325,000.
Wooster & Stock, 020 7708 6700 Photograph: Wooster & Stock/Wooster & Stock

Over the sea: France. For the price of a London parking slot you could snuggle into this two-bed cottage in a medieval village in Tarn et Garonne, south-west France. Your nearest neighbour is the local chateau and it is an hour's drive to Toulouse airport. Recent renovations have bequeathed dressed stone walls inside, a full-height fireplace, a smart kitchen with tiled floor and beamed ceiling, and a wet room to serve the second, downstairs bedroom. You can absorb the sun in the patio garden. Cost: £137,000.
Investabroad Properties, 0121 616 5108 Photograph: Investabroad Properties/Investabroad Properties

Bargain of the week: East Dulwich, London. A Victorian palace, says the brochure with just a touch of hyperbole. This £449,950 three-bedder should be on for nearer half-a-million, but the vendors, who have spent £70,000 installing wooden floors, filmic bathrooms and fitted cupboards, want a quick sale. One bedroom is beamed and vaulted, another is en suite; french doors open on to a decked garden. Highly rated schools and the bijou Lordship Lane are a stroll away.
Wooster Stock, 020 7708 6700 Photograph: Wooster & Stock/Wooster & Stock