Against a backdrop of overseas conflict and domestic economic uncertainty, the London market has faced challenges in the past 12 months. But rare and ‘best in class’ homes will always win, Zoe Dare Hall discovers, as the capital’s top agents reveal their deals of the year

Houses with good railway connections Kent: Palm Cottage, ...

Owning listed properties means stepping into centuries of craftsmanship and character, plus, perhaps, a few quirks, but buyers who truly love history wouldn’t have it any other way

Three historic country houses in Yorkshire, a stone’s throw from the most northerly of Britain’s 16 white chalk horses, offer comfortable contemporary living and fascinating backstories

A few minutes’ walk from bustling Earls Court Road, past quiet cobbled mews, is Templeton Garden, the latest opening from chic European hotel group Miiro and arguably London’s most stylish new hotel.

These five standout properties have halls made for towering trees, sparkling decorations and Champagne-bright celebrations– festive magic that will practically begin before new owners move in