FORGET streets with the X-factor. Living on a street with a name beginning with the letter U could mean your property is worth a lot more, according to new research from property website Zoopla.co.uk.
We analysed the average value of three-quarters of a million streets based on the first letter for that street name and found that average property prices on streets that start with "U" currently stand at £251,307 – the highest of any letter in the alphabet and £25,503 more than the current average UK property value of £225,804.
The most expensive street beginning with "U" is Upper Phillimore Gardens, where the average home is worth £5,640,496.
At the other end of the scale, streets beginning with "Z" have the lowest property values, with the average worth just £180,046 – 20% less than the UK average.
One particular example is Zeus Lane, in Waterlooville, Hampshire. Despite being named after a Greek god, property values on the street are far from Olympian. The average value is just £141,278, 37% lower than the national average of £225,804.
Streets beginning with the letters T (£248,008) and O (£244,450) came in second and third respectively in terms of the highest average property values, while those starting with the letters J (£190,802) and A (£211,744) record the second and third lowest property prices.
And vowels beat consonants hands down when it comes to house prices. The average property on a street beginning with a vowel is worth £6,306 (3%) more than a street beginning with a consonant. Street names beginning with a consonant have an average property value of £222,789, compared with £229,095 for those with a vowel.
So, with a £70,000 difference between the average property price on streets starting with the letters U and Z, and a £6,000 difference on average on streets beginning with vowels and consonants, it is advisable to select your street wisely!
Here's the full list, in order of first letter, number and average property value: U 3,565 £251,307; T 44,927 £248,008; O 16,358 £244,450; H 53,223 £234,045; C 77,769 £233,873; P 36,065 £233,550; W 50,979 £231,145; F 25,835 £228,489; L 39,563 £228,400; S 71,304 £228,237; B 71,884 £227,105; Q 3,826 £226,824; N 18,475 £225,911; R 31,154 £223,241; M 51,216 £221,498; K 16,728 £221,106; G 33,335 £219,248; I 4,316 £219,125; E 19,216 £218,849; D 25,395 £218,643; Y 2,751 £218,367; V 7,752 £217,240; A 31,333 £211,744; J 5,565 £190,802; and Z 180 £180,046.