A RAILWAY station within two miles of your home can add an average 12 per cent or £20,000 to the house price, while nearby derelict housing could knock the same amount off the price.

These and other facts have been revealed in a survey 250 of its own estate agents by haart. The survey was commissioned to discover the top 20 external features that had an impact – negative and positive – on national house prices.

Transport links top the table of positive influencers, with major road links adding nine per cent. However, living too near to a railway line or flight path of a descending plane can bring down the price of a house by as much as five per cent or nine per cent respectively.

Also high on people’s list of priorities are good schools, open space adding 11 per cent and nine per cent respectively on to the value of a property. A vibrant social scene adds an average of £10,000.

In contrast, noisy, late licence venues and derelict land are major turn-offs while nightmare neighbours, such as tearaway kids and ASBO households, can cut values by seven per cent.

"It is widely known that factors such as good transport links can push property prices up and derelict houses can drag them down, but many homeowners do not realise the extent house prices can be affected," said Russell Jervis, managing director of haart.

"For time-starved commuters proximity to excellent transport links is highly desirable, boosting house prices in the immediate area considerably. But transport routes can also have a detrimental impact on house prices, with proximity to a noisy flight path or a rail line lopping off up to 15 per cent."

Demand was immense for family homes in catchment areas of good schools but at the other end of the scale, buyers should be mindful of the impact run-down houses and late licence music venues or takeaways, which topped the chart of least desirable factors, can have on property prices.