Property Price Performances from Romantic Films
As the scent of roses and chocolate fills the air this Valentine’s Day, one of the best ways to get into the mood for love is to watch a feel good romantic film.
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However, with London seeing the lowest level of house price growth of all regions in the UK, homeowners across the capital could be forgiven for not feeling the love this Wednesday.
As a result, we looked at some of top British romantic flicks set in London and how the leading stars from a bricks and mortar perspective have fared for price growth since the films first hit the screens.
Notting Hill (1999)
Flat in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
Current House Price: £1,102,761
Increase Since Release Date: 328%
Topping the list for largest increase by a long shot is Hugh Grant’s cosy flat off Portobello Road in Notting Hill with a 328% jump since the film’s release in 1999.The film’s success likely helped the area transform into a favourite tourist destination in London, with the average property price for a flat climbing from £257,669 at the release date to £1,102,761 today.
Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994)
Flat in Islington
Current House Price: £614,663
Increase Since Release Date: 277%
Hugh Grant makes another appearance on the roster with his modest flat in North London. Since the release of Four Weddings and a Funeral in 1994, the price of flats in Islington have jumped by 277% from £163,114 to £614,663. Although this neighbourhood in N5 didn’t develop into a tourist hub in the same way that Notting Hill did, property values in Islington have still enjoyed major increases in the nearly 25 years since the film’s release
Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001)
Flat in Southwark
Current House Price: £457,461
Increase Since Release Date: 227%
It would seem that any film featuring Hugh Grant is bound to enjoy excessive increases in property value. Keeping with this theme, the price of Renée Zellweger’s flat in Borough from Bridget Jones’s Diary could have seen a growth of 227% since the release date in April 2001. The value of flats in Southwark have increased from £317,723 to £457,461 over the 17 year period.
Wimbledon (2004)
Semi-detached house in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
Current House Price: £3,286,403
Increase Since Release Date: 138%
Despite the film’s name, the characters only play tennis in Wimbledon and live in other areas of the city. Kirsten Dunst and her father live in a semi-detached home that is supposed to be in Notting Hill, which would have seen a 138% rise in property value since 2004 from £1,904,242 to £3,286,403 today. However, the actual location used to filming is in Mayfair, which would have instead enjoyed a 182% price growth from £1,549,680 to £2,399,913 since September 2004.
About Time (2013)
Semi-detached house in the City of Westminster
Current House Price: £2,399,913
Increase Since Release Date: 23%
Prices in Maida Vale have risen on a lower scale with a shorter timeline than some of the other films that are featured. However, the average price for a semi-detached home in the City of Westminster will set you back £2,399,913 today, up 23% from £1,946,907 in August 2013 when the film was released. Aside from Maida Vale, Rachel McAdams’ character lives in a flat in Notting Hill, which would have only seen a 7% increase in the five year period.
