New data has shown the north east village of Walberswick is again the most expensive place to buy a home in Suffolk.
The Land Registry data, compiled by property agents Savills, looks at sales and prices in parishes across England and Wales, with the village near Southwold topping the list of the most expensive places in the county.
Data covering the five years to April 2021 show the average sale price of the 56 houses sold in the village is £790,244.
The figure is a significant increase on the average recorded last year – £661,182 – a rise of 19.5%.
Drinkstone retained its position as the second most expensive village, with the average house price standing at £694,900, based on 34 sales.
It was a similar story for Kersey, again in third, with the average house price there coming in at £687,690, based on 21 sales.
Based solely on sales within the last 12 months, Aldringham-Cum-Thorpe had the highest average price at £546,731, followed by Nayland-with-Wissington and Polstead at £516,364 and £494,150 respectively.
Tom Orford, from Savills' residential sales team in Ipswich, said the figures come at a time when the pandemic has pushed people out of cities towards a more rural life.
He said: “Walberswick has always been a popular village and properties remain in high demand and short supply.
“Those villages seen as ‘best in class’ – with a pub, a local shop and a good sense of community alongside quality housing stock, access to schools and a decent broadband connection – will always be highly sought after.
"If anything that’s only increased over the last 18 months. Since the pandemic we have seen a significant rise in the number of buyers who want to experience village life.
"Recent experiences have caused many people to reassess all manner of things and for some that includes the definition of an acceptable commute – with many now willing to travel that little bit further because they are visiting the office less."
Mr Orford added it is worth bearing in mind that one or two expensive sales can distort figures.
He did say however, that figures for the last 12 months are no surprise – with Aldringham-cum-Thorpe including the popular village of Thorpeness.
Mr Orford said: "There are also several villages – Nayland-with-Wissington, Polstead and East Bergholt – which are in the Dedham Vale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, which has seen huge demand from those wanting access to the countryside but also within a short distance of larger centres such as Ipswich and Colchester and their rail links into London.
"Other villages – such as Grundisburgh and Melton and Great Barton and Fornham All Saints – are on the edge of Woodbridge and Bury St Edmunds respectively, so offer a good alternative for buyers looking for somewhere that is perhaps relatively more affordable yet still within striking distance of two incredibly popular towns with good schools and all their amenities.”
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