Property: Three of the best Houses for the money

Old Bank House in Lavenham, Suffolk, was at one time the village bank, but its first use, in the 14th century when it was built, was as a dye hall. Some of the undersides of the bricks in the rear kitchen show signs of blue dye, which is thought to have been used for uniforms worn in the Napoleonic Wars. The front of the house was added 250 years ago, when the property was used as a saddlery. Now a four-bedroom house, it has a heavily timbered kitchen/ breakfast room. In the main bedroom, a walk-in cupboard is concealed behind oak panelling. Since the telegraph poles were removed from the town in 1967 and the lines hidden underground, houses in the area have become popular. pounds 225,000, through Bedfords (01284 769999).

Old Mint Cottage in Liss Forest, Hampshire, was once the home of the Money family, but in fact it takes its name from the mint that still grows in the land behind the house. It used to be harvested as a commercial crop. Dating from 1649, the three-bedroom cottage has an inglenook in the sitting-room with inset oak seats, and a 30ft, beamed dining room. It is set in 10 acres of private grounds, which include a stream and a pond; deer, foxes, kingfishers and ducks are frequent visitors. The cottage is a mile-and-a-half from the mainline station (Waterloo 65 minutes), and is for sale through Keats for pounds 259,500 (01428 724343).

Number One Prescot Street, just around the corner from the Royal Mint in London's Square Mile, is a refurbishment of a listed building, designed in 1932 as the Co-op's head offices. It has an impressive Expressionist- style entrance. Now redeveloped by Rialto Homes, the building has 150 apartments, the first batch of which have just been launched. Prices range from pounds 99,500 for a studio flat to pounds 425,000 for a three-bedroom penthouse. All will have 999-year leases. The apartments will be provided with secure parking and 24-hour security. The building is to have a landscaped internal courtyard. For sale through Hamptons (0171 824 8822).