MORE than 200 people have already expressed an interest in becoming the new owners of Suffolk’s ‘Harry Potter’ house, which is on the market for �950,000.

Since the Grade-I Listed De Vere House, in Water Street, Lavenham, was featured in the East Anglian Daily Times, enquires have been flooding in from potential buyers in all parts of the UK.

Its owner, Jane Ranzetta, said she had been “amazed” at the publicity the story had generated, but not surprised that so many people were keen to view the particulars of the property, which featured in the Harry Potter film The Deathly Hallows, as part of Godric’s Hollow. The house, which boasts original beams and secret doors, is also thought to have once hosted King Henry VII.

Mrs Ranzetta said: “Since the story appeared in the paper, one of the estate agents has received 214 requests for brochures in just 24 hours.

“It’s a very unusual property and tourists often stop to take photos of it and some have even asked if it’s real, so I think it has completely captured the imagination of potential buyers.”

However she added: “August is generally not a good month in which to sell houses so the interest generated by the article has taken us by surprise – it’s all gone a bit mad with TV and radio reporters knocking on the door.”

Mrs Ranzetta, who lives with her husband Tony and 15-year-old son Alex, said the publicity would hopefully provide a further boost to tourism in the medieval village.

Of her ideal buyer for the home, Mrs Ranzetta said: “It will need to be someone who loves the history of the house and understands what owning an iconic ancient building involves.

“You won’t be able to come in and even up the floors or paint the beams, so it will require someone who is sympathetic to owning a very old house and is willing to take on all that entails.”

The couple said they would be sad to sell the property, but they intend to downsize to a smaller house and remain in Lavenham.