My friend used the regional house price differential to his advantage back in 2008 when he took his £925K for a very nice 4-bed terraced house in Wandsworth Common and bought the most stunningly beautiful 6-bed house with a massive detached coach house, dairy, ornamental gardens and 12 acres for £715K.

Over the past 6 years he has clearly enjoyed everything that went with spending his £200K tax-free capital gain and the loves the air, the space and the pace of life up there - but he admits the travelling can be a bit of a drag.

Recently he spoke to his old next door neighbour who told him that he got out at the right time because life in London is more hectic than ever. They also mentioned in passing that the people who bought his old house has just sold for £1.75M without doing anything to it, which then prompted him to get agents round to have his current house valued - even though he says the money doesn't come into it because things are absolutely perfect for him and his family and moving was the best decision that he's ever made. The agents came back with a top valuation of £750K.