When you’re wandering the streets of Britain, often you’ll spot circular blue plaques on the exterior of properties highlighting the potential historic significance and links to a famous person of the past.
While these may not increase the value of a property, it does add creditability in terms of authenticating its history.
This can be of huge interest among some buyers, particularly overseas buyers – although some wealthy buyers prefer to be more discrete and not run the risk of having tourists flock to their front door steps to take a photo.
We have picked two impressive blue plaque properties with links to Nobel Prize winners and seven figure price tags in our latest property battle series and ask: If you had deep pockets, which one would you choose?
We pick two impressive homes with blue plaques and seven figure asking prices, and ask which one would choose to live in?
Poll
Which would you choose
- (Left) Birmingham house where Sir Austen Chamberlain was born 66 votes
- (Right) London house where Rabindranath Tagore lived 32 votes
Guy Meacock, buying agency Prime Purchase, said: ‘Provenance is great when it comes to property and a blue plaque is a nice to have.
‘But you can get some unwelcome attention, particularly on garden squares and some of the swishier streets in the capital where buyers would prefer to be discreet.
‘If you pin a badge on the side of the house saying John Lennon lived here, you could end up on the tourist trail with an altar by the front door and people staring through the window, wanting a tour.
Many high-net-worth buyers don’t want to draw that sort of attention to themselves.’
The two blue plaque homes we have picked include one where where Sir Austen Chamberlain was born. It is in Birmingham and it has a price tag of £1.75million.
The second house is where Indian writer and poet Rabindranath Tagore lived and it is being sold for £2,699,500.
Five-bed detached house in Birmingham – £1.75m
This Grade II listed property dates back to 1855 and is currently on the market for £1,750,000 via estate agents Robert Powell
The property is called Giles House and has a blue plaque on the front that reveals that Sir Austen Chamberlain was born there
This Grade II listed property dates back to 1855 and is today accessed via electronic gates.
It is called Giles House and a blue plaque on the front shows the name Sir Austen Chamberlain.
The former leader of the Conservative Party, Foreign Secretary, and older half brother of Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain was born at the house in 1863.
Sir Austen shared the Nobel Peace Prize for 1925 with the American Charles Dawes for his role in negotiating the Locarno Pact, aimed at preventing war between France and Germany.
The house has a large drawing room with a grand fireplace surround, arched windows and enough space for a grand piano
At the rear of the property, there is a mature walled garden with a lawn area and a separate patio for outside dining
The grand property has five bedrooms, including this one that boasts a fireplace and room for a separate sitting area
The five-bedroom detached home is currently on the market for £1,750,000 via estate agents Robert Powell.
It has arched ground floor windows, an ornate corrugated iron entrance porch and a panelled front door.
Daniel Copley, of Zoopla, said: ‘This opulent family home has many sought after features including a mature walled garden with a terrace for entertaining family and friends, as well as five spacious bedrooms and plenty of natural light.
‘Five Ways train station, which has a journey time to Birmingham New Street of just four minutes, is also a short walk away.’
Three-bed terrace in London – £2.7m
This Grade II listed Victorian property in London is surrounded by Hampstead Heath and has an asking price of £2,699,500
The property has a blue plaque recording the residence of Rabindranath Tagore in 1912, one of the most influential figures in Indian literature and culture who won the Nobel Prize for Literature
This Grade II listed Victorian property in London is surrounded by Hampstead Heath and has an asking price of £2,699,500.
It dates back to around 1863 and while it has been refurbished, advice has been sought about extending at the rear of the house to create a conservatory and dining room.
The property has a blue plaque recording the residence of Rabindranath Tagore in 1912, one of the most influential figures in Indian literature and culture who won the Nobel Prize for Literature.
Inside, there is a modern kitchen with black marble worktops, wooden flooring and a five-door Aga oven
The end of terrace property has three bedrooms and is is surrounded by Hampstead Heath in London
Philip Green, of estate agents Goldschmidt & Howland, which is handling the sale, said: ‘This property’s brilliant location and spacious interior make it the perfect home for a growing family.
‘Hampstead is often nicknamed ‘Pramstead’ due to the many families living in the area and the wide range of excellent primary and secondary schools, both state and private, nearby.
‘Aside from that, Hampstead Heath is a stone’s throw away, there are great transport connections and friendly Hampstead village has many boutique shops, cafes and restaurants.’
One of the bedrooms has two windows and a door with a staircase leading to a roof terrace with rooftop views
The centre of desirable Hampstead Village is nearby, with its array of shops, cafes, restaurants