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Small screen house prices

Friday, February 19, 2010

Catherine Deshayes

That old English favourite, TV soap Eastenders, is about to turn 25, so let's check out what house prices on Albert Square have done in that quarter of a century, to see if the small screen property market is in line with reality...

House prices on fictional Albert Square - home of the one of the UK's best known soap opera, have sky rocketed over the past 25 years, with a 436 per cent increase taking the average house to £574,764, compared to £122,813 in 1985 when the soap began.

The fictional Albert Square is based on Fasset Square in Dalston (E8). The fictional Coronation Street is based on Archie Street in Orsdall, Salford (M5).

Properties on the Square, which is busy celebrating its 25th anniversary are 515 per cent more expensive than in rival soap Coronation Street.

This house price inflation has outperformed the most popular purchase on the Square, with the cost of a pint in the Queen Vic increasing just 206 per cent over the same period, from 93p to an average £2.83 today.

While Eastenders has the most expensive houses, it is Coronation Street that has seen the biggest house price appreciation in the time the TV soap has been running.

The Street, which turns 50 this year, has benefited from house price inflation of 7369 per cent, with the average house in 1960 costing just £1,514 compared to today's average of £111,581. Ken Barlow, the only resident of the Street to have survived the last half century will be rubbing his palms in glee.

According to the findings, former prostitute Pat Evans has the most expensive house on the Square, with number 31 valued at £847,821. The tardis-like property currently houses seven people; Pat Evans, Ricky Butcher, Bianca Jackson and her children Whitney, Liam, Tiffany and Morgan. The house was left to Pat in the will of her former employer, gangster Andy Hunter.

Nigel Lewis, property expert at FindaProperty.com, commented, "The East End of London, once home to more unsavoury types such as Jack the Ripper and the Krays, has become increasingly more desirable of late.

"Attracted by the convenient location and the more affordable house prices compared to West London, City workers have drifted further East and parts of this location have now been gentrified with trendy clubs, wine bars and restaurants. Addresses like Albert Square remain sought-after places to live for the sense of community enjoyed by the residents, in addition to easy access to local amenities and transport links.

"The characters in Albert Square are certainly sitting on a profitable asset.  Coronation Street may have won in the National TV awards, but the east enders are winning in the property stakes, with house prices set to increase further still with the knock-on effect of the 2012 Olympics," added Mr Lewis.

Albert Square Property facts

Pat Evans is the person who has lived in the greatest number of residences throughout EastEnders history.

Ian Beale is the only property millionaire on the show and currently owns the most properties; 45 Albert Square (his main family residence), 55 Victoria Road (his former residence, he is now renting this out to unknown occupants), 15a Turpin Road (flat above Beale's Plaice chip shop, is being rented to his brother-in-law Christian Clarke) and 89 George Street (flat was being rented to Amira before her wedding to Syed, currently empty).

3 Albert Square is the most lived in address. This was owned by Tony Carpenter in 1985 and has since been split into three flats. The current residents of flat 3a are: Minty Peterson, Darren Miller, Manda and Adam Best.

43 Albert Square has had the second highest number of resident and was originally owned by Andy O'Brien and Debbie Wilkins. This was also subsequently converted into flats. Flat 43a is currently rented in by Janine Butcher and Ryan Malloy. Flat 43b is rented by Shirley Carter and Heather Trott alongside her baby son George.

45 Albert Square is the only house that has always been owned by the same family, the Beales and Fowlers.

46 Albert Square is the Queen Vic and was originally lived in and run by Den and Angie Watts. The large flat above the pub is currently home to the Mitchells. However, following the recent murder of Archie Mitchell, it is unlikely this property would attract many interested buyers in the current market.

Check out homes for sale all across the UK at http://www.themovechannel.co.uk/property/england/

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