There are many reasons you might choose a particular property to buy: perhaps it's the proximity to schools, public transport or amenities, maybe it's the number of rooms or the size of the garden, or it might be about being near green countryside, water or shopping and nightlife.
Everyone is different in what drives them to buy a property, but Lloyds Bank has carried out research to identify the streets that appear most often on Instagram and TikTok.
The research identifies the streets most shared online, giving rise to the term "instagrammable", meaning the photographs are likely to look good in a post and pick up plenty of likes. Whether it's a colourful city backdrop, historic cobbled streets and spires, or rolling hills and woods in the background, the choice is wide and varied.
And some may look at these locations and daydream about the unlikely event of owning a property there, because the beauty is surely going to put it out of most people's financial reach. Right?
That affordability in many of the locations might come as a surprise.
The UK's most instagrammable streets
Before we get to that wishful thinking possibly becoming reality, it's worth looking at some of the results of Lloyds' research. At the top of the list, perhaps unsurprisingly, is the historic beauty of the Georgian design of Bath's Royal Crescent.
Next on the list is the city of London and the pastel-coloured houses of Portobello Road, followed by the picturesque beauty of The Street in the Wiltshire village of Castle Combe.
Scotland and Wales are both represented in the top twenty, with Victoria Street in the Old Town of Edinburgh appearing in fourth place and Circus Lane at number nine, while Windsor Esplanade in Cardiff Bay nestles in the twentieth spot.
As Amanda Bryden, Head of Mortgages at Lloyds, says of the research findings:
"Social media is changing how people discover new places, and even where they start to picture themselves living.
What really stands out about these streets is their character.
Whether it's colourful homes, heritage buildings or a standout setting, they're the kind of places people can't help but share.
It's also great to see such a broad mix of locations.
While some are among the UK's most premium streets, others are far more accessible, which shows you don't need a huge budget to find somewhere that genuinely feels special."
Affordability might surprise you
The expectation with these beauty spots is that property prices will be higher than in other, less attractive locations even nearby. However, Lloyds' research shows that while that's the case on certain streets, it's not a foregone conclusion.
The most instagrammable streets in the UK
Rank | Street | Location | Average price |
1 | Royal Crescent | Bath, Somerset | £590,786 |
2 | Portobello Road | Notting Hill, London | £1,661,144 |
3 | The Street | Castle Combe, Wiltshire | £428,759 |
4 | Victoria Street | Old Town, Edinburgh | £414,596 |
5 | Gold Hill | Shaftesbury, Dorset | £470,721 |
6 | Kynance Mews | South Kensington, London | £1,447,738 |
7 | Vicars Close | Wells, Somerset | £364,489 |
8 | Arlington Row | Bibury, Gloucestershire | £519,773 |
9 | Circus Lane | Stockbridge, Edinburgh | £447,344 |
10 | Mermaid Street | Rye, East Sussex | £471,101 |
11 | Sion Hill | Clifton, Bristol | £521,586 |
12 | Elm Hill | Norwich, Norfolk | £235,822 |
13 | Prior Park Road | Bath, Somerset | £556,645 |
14 | Anita Street | Ancoats, Manchester | £257,319 |
15 | Steep Hill | Lincoln, Lincolnshire | £314,395 |
16 | Church Street | Ledbury, Herefordshire | £376,698 |
17 | Barn Hill | Stamford, Lincolnshire | £492,364 |
18 | Eastgate Street | Chester, Cheshire | £263,811 |
19 | Pier Road | Luss, Argyll and Bute | £158,559 |
20 | Windsor Esplanade | Cardiff Bay | £198,125 |
Source: Lloyds Bank
Living on a street everyone wants to photograph
Amanda Bryden comments further on the list:
"While social media has helped shine a spotlight on some of the UK's most beautiful streets, it can also bring challenges for the people who live there.
Popular locations can see a big rise in visitors, particularly at busy times of year.
As interest grows, it highlights the importance of visiting thoughtfully, respecting local residents and helping to protect the charm that makes these places so widely shared."
It's worth doing your research on available homes and their locations before you commit to a particular property, so you know how it's likely to feel living there throughout the year. If a street is likely to be busy with tourists because it's instagrammable, and you want calm, it's probably not the right location for you. But if you can live with that in exchange for relative peace the rest of the year, and your budget allows, it might be worth considering a beauty spot for your next home.
Whatever your plans, whether you're selling up or buying somewhere new, you'll need efficient and focused legal representation to keep your transaction moving as smoothly as possible. This is why you should talk to Homeward Legal as soon as you can.
Call us on to get your conveyancing quote started, or to discuss your plans with our team, or use Homeward Legal's easy-to-use quote generator for an instant quote.