Research from Halifax Estate Agents highlights that home buyers are prepared to pay a premium to live in a spa town.

All 18 spa towns have higher average house prices than their region, while 16 out of 18 spa towns have higher average house prices than the neighbouring towns in their county.

Spa towns tend to rank highly for key drivers of the quality of life. 16 out of 18 spa towns are in local authority (LA) areas, which have larger than average houses. Owner occupation rates are higher than average in the LAs of 15 spa towns, while traffic levels are lower than average in the LAs of 15 spa towns. 16 spa towns are in LAs, which have higher than average employment levels.

Epsom in Surrey is the most expensive spa town with an average price of £297,354, followed by Tunbridge Wells in Kent (£279,978) and Boston Spa in West Yorkshire (£277,215). The least expensive spa towns are Llanddrindod and Builth Wells, both in Powys in Wales with average house prices of £158,687 and £173,405 respectively.

Builth Wells in Powys has also been the best performing spa town over the past five years with a 144% increase in its average house price, followed by Boston Spa in West Yorkshire (112%) and Matlock in Derbyshire (103%). The ten best performing spa towns since 2001 are all outside the south of England. Three of the five spa towns with the smallest house price increase over five years are in the South of England. For the latest UK mortgage rates and deals logon to www.Mortgage-Shop.co.uk or FREEPHONE 0800 092 0800 24 hours a day.