WEEKLY PROPERTY ADVICE FROM SIMON MEEK: I am sure we all love our Island and hold it in high regard but would you have ever thought Ryde was the leading house price hotspot in the country?

Well, according to Zoopla, a property marketing website, Ryde has topped the country in 2018.

Before I ramble on it, is important to point out these statistics have come from Zoopla’s own website values data so the tabulated results may differ from other sources.

However, whichever way you look at it, these results clearly show the popularity of one of the Island’s major seaside towns both with local movers and those moving over from further afield which have driven up house prices.

The top ten hot spots’ table shows property in Ryde has increased by a staggering 10.24 per cent and is clearly head and shoulders over the other places mentioned.

In second place was Smethwick, West Midlands, at a mere 9.67 per cent growth, then Diss, Norfolk at 7.89 per cent in third place reducing all the way down to the tenth spot, which is Motherwell, North Lanarkshire, at just 6.74 per cent growth for the year.

Conversely, the top-ten areas where property values fell shows quite a different picture altogether.

This table is topped by Alnwick, Northumberland, where property values fell by some 6.58 per cent.

This may be familiar to most of you as it is home to Alnwick Castle where many of the Harry Potter films were made.

So why Ryde? I hear you ask. Well, in my humble opinion it could well be for several reasons.

Firstly seaside towns are often popular places to reside and Ryde is no different in this regard.

Miles of sandy beaches and an array of classical character properties from townhouses to detached villas are clearly attractive.

For both locals and overners, the mainland transport connections are easily accessible and regular, leaving the country’s capital just an hour-and-a-half away from nearby Portsmouth.

Inland, the surrounding countryside consists of miles of walking/cycling routes connecting several local villages and places of interest.

Of course, we cannot discuss Ryde without a mention of its impressive pier.

At 745 yards long (681 metres) this 1814-constructed pier is the oldest existing pier in the country and is its fourth longest.

Of course, it could also be Ryde property offers good value for money, as I am sure many seaside towns along the South coast will be more expensive on average.

But whether it is perceived value for money, the great beaches, mainland connectivity or historic architecture, it is simply exciting to see the Island mentioned in such high regard on national platforms.

Achieving this accolade two years running is possibly a tall order but who is to say Cowes, Shanklin or Ventnor perhaps could well be featured in such things for 2019? Only time will tell.