The Carmarthenshire town of Llandeilo has just been named as the best place to live in Wales in 2022, grabbing the crown from Usk in Monmouthshire, the town that came top in 2021.
The pretty location is one of six Welsh towns and villages that have made it onto the overall Sunday Times best places to live in the UK list.
The judges, including Helen Davies The Sunday Times property editor and a panel of contributors and writers with local expertise, annually compile a list of the UK's top 70 locations considered to the best to call home.
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The Sunday Times best places to live in the UK list is compiled by assessing a wide range of factors, from schools, transport and broadband to culture, green spaces and the health of the high street.
The judges are looking to celebrate improving towns, villages or city centres, attractive, well-designed homes and locations bursting with community spirit – which the pandemic has shown to be the most vital quality of all.
An average house price for each location has been supplied by Halifax, the sponsor of the guide, and up-to-date information on broadband speeds has been provided by Thinkbroadband.com.
Helen Davies, The Times and Sunday Times Property Editor says: "Ten years ago, when we launched the inaugural list, London’s gravitational pull was strong, the working from home (WFH) revolution had not yet reached our doorstep and high streets were stacked with chains. How times have changed — and how welcome that change is.
"This year we have discovered new best places to live, from resurgent city centres in the north, rejuvenated suburbs across the country."
The six Welsh locations in the UK list are Llandeilo, the overall winner in Wales, and Conwy, Penarth, Ruthin, St Dogmaels and Usk, who are listed alphabetically rather than ranked.
The judges had specific reasons for highlighting these six lovely locations in Wales, find out more about each place and what they had to say here. Do you agree with the judges? Have they left out a town or village you love and you think should be included? Let us know in the comments section at the end of the article.
With Llandeilo securing the top spot, it might tempt you to consider packing up and parking yourself at a property there as a fresh start, but what will your property pounds get you in the town?
According to Zoopla, the average sold house price in Wales in the last 12 months is £218,839, with Cardiff sitting at above national average at £286,321.
In Llandeilo the property portal states the average is currently £248,047, with an average detached costing £330,165, semi-detached at £170,911, terraced at £161,123 and flats at £139,333.
And according to the Halifax bank, the average house price in Llandeilo currently is £251,000, which the company says is a growth of 18% since 2020.
Here are seven homes on the market, correct at the time of writing, that can offer you a range from a huge six bed home to a renovation project that needs to be brought back to life.
Detached: £750,000
One of the most spacious and therefore most expensive homes currently for sale in Llandeilo is this superb, six-bed family residence on Crescent Street which, according to the agent selling the property, is one of the town's finest streets.
The double-fronted, four-storey pretty blue pastel property tempts you with the idea of space from the outside and it certainly delivers on the inside too. Start in the pretty rear garden and the home's enviable location is instantly evident, standing in generous grounds and commanding magnificent views over the Towy valley.
According to the agent, the owners have done an extensive refurbishment of the property to create a beautiful home that combines a wealth of period features and classic, timeless decor with sociable and spacious rooms, perfect for family living, entertaining and home working.
The lower ground floor is where you'll find the spacious and stylish kitchen diner that runs the width of the house and opens out, via a set of French doors, onto the huge, sunny terrace with that huge, special view.
There's a utility room, cellar and pantry on this floor to have a nose at before you ascend to the ground floor and find the sitting room and drawing room, that both look out over the garden and the view. There's a library study on this floor too before the stairs take you to the top two floors.
The third floor has enough room to dedicate the biggest room to a gym and family space. There's also a bedroom that's being used as a home office, two further bedrooms and a shower room. The top and final floor has two more bedrooms and the master suite, which includes a dressing room as well as an ensuite.
The six-bed with all the space is for sale for £750,000 with BJP Residential, call their Llandeilo branch on 01558 822468 to find out more.
Terrace: £465,000
On the corner of George Hill that meanders down to the historic St Teilo's Church, is a substantial five-bed period townhouse. The home offers commanding views over the churchyard and King Street towards the rolling countryside of the Towy Valley and distant hilltops on the horizon.
From the front door, everything is within walking distance and a small and private courtyard can offer a quiet space to relax. Inside, the agent states that the house has been the subject of careful refurbishment to provide versatile accommodation with a perfect combination of traditional and contemporary design.
There's lots of versatile space to play with here, including a drawing room, sitting room, and a very sociable kitchen diner. On the first floor a master bedroom with ensuite bathroom, two further bedrooms and a family bathroom.
Up to the top of this handsome house to find another two bedrooms that boast exposed brickwork and oak flooring as character features that crown this lovely abode. This house on the hill is for sale for offers in the region of £465,000 with BJP Residential, call their Llandeilo branch on 01558 822468 to find out more.
Detached: £350,000
On the road into the town from the north, this very attractive, double-fronted period property can easily persuade you to have a peek inside. The charming porchway opens into a central hall full of character, with pretty floor tiles the pleasant view below yourr feet, and the view right through the house to the back tempting you to wander straight there.
If you do, you will be greeted by a conservatory, a very neat and tidy garden that includes a garage, sunny patio and outbuilding, and then views across the stunning countryside as far as the hills in the distance.
Back inside and one half of the house on the ground floor has been 'knocked through' from front to back to create a spacious and sociable kitchen diner. With the dividing wall gone between the two rooms, any occupants can enjoy a double-ended aspect, plus waves of light as well as a tide of chat.
In total, the house has two reception rooms in addition to the kitchen diner, four bedrooms with the master bedroom offering an ensuite, plus a family bathroom.
The house on the outskirts of town is for sale for £350,000 with estate agent Clee Tompkinson & Francis, call their Llandovery branch on 01550 720440 for more details.
Semi-detached: £239,950
This attractive stone facade, semi-detached home can be found in a lovely location nestled within this popular residential development, on a cul-de-sac with no passing traffic and only a few minutes' walk to the town centre.
Inside the house has a lounge at the front and a kitchen diner at the rear, spanning the whole width of the house and leading out into the conservatory. Inside this bonus space, and outside in the rear garden too, it becomes clear that you are enjoying a pleasant, elevated position above the sloping land below.
Upstairs there are three bedrooms and a bathroom in this more modern offering, for sale for £239,950 with BJP Residential, call their Llandeilo branch on 01558 822468 to find out more.
Terrace: £220,000
If you want character and location this two-bed property in a quiet but well positioned little street in the town is an ideal combination.
The home oozes charm, from period fireplaces to a bay window with wood panelled surround. And what an amazing discovery of the original kitchen still in existence in the basement - a brilliant find that not many homes, even in this historic town, can boast.
It's not just the basement that can hog all the historic glory either, as the attic room that runs the full length of the house can match it with beautiful exposed ceiling beams and roof rafters.
The house offers the basement, then on the ground floor a sitting dining room with a feature fireplace and a kitchen breakfast room that can boast a fireplace too. There are two bedrooms and a bathroom on the first floor. The rear of the house reveals another surprise - a cute courtyard with access to a workshop and laundry area.
The house full of charm and surprises is on the market with a guide price of £220,000 with BJP Residential, call them on 01558 822468 to find out more.
Terrace: £199,950
It's rare to be able to bag one of the pretty pastel properties in the instantly recognisable row of colourful homes that greet you, as you arrive at the town over the stone bridge accross the river Towy.
This cottage has a pale yellow facade that peeps over the bridge and offers a new owner a bridge to owning a home full of charm that's within walking distance of the town centre and walks along the river bank.
Inside, the agent says the property has undergone an update that includes redecoration and new flooring. And the exposed stone walls and network of exposed ceiling beams and rafters on the first floor add to the charm of this two-bed cutie.
The living room is dominated by a characterful exposed stone chimney breast and fireplace, as well as exposed ceiling beams and white-washed stone walls, while a charming stone staircase takes you to the bedrooms and bathroom on the first floor.
Outside there is a courtyard area which is a sun trap, a utility room and a sweet little garden area. According to the agent, there is off-road parking to the left of the property, leading to Dinewr Castle and Llandyfeusant Church. The cottage is for sale for £199,950 with Peter & Co, call them on 01269 844826 to find out more.
Detached renovation: £140,000
A detached property on the fringe of the town with surely one of the best views as one of the cheapest properties on the market must mean one thing - it's a renovation project.
The good sized garden seems endless with a sweeping view of the Towy valley expanding out to the hills on the horizon making it feel like the home's boundary never ends.
How lovely to have a raised patio to take full advantage of that special view and any sunshine while eating and relaxing outside in your garden. But there's no time for just sitting around and feeling lucky that the view is a free and magnificent backdrop to your new home - there's plenty of work to do inside this abode.
This renovation project house has a lounge at the front and a kitchen breakfast at the rear with large picture windows to ensure you are constantly distracted by the view. The bathroom is currently on the ground floor and upstairs there are two bedrooms.
This home is looking to be brought back to life for sale for £140,000 with BJP Residential, call them on 01558 822468 to find out more. And to make sure you don't miss any renovation stories or dream homes in the future, join the Amazing Welsh Homes newsletter.
