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The total sale value of homes in London with blue plaques connected to literary figures is more than £91 million

Getty / Neil Holmes
The total sale value of homes in London with blue plaques connected to literary figures is more than £91 million
Getty / Neil Holmes

Want to get a premium price for your house? Then make sure a famous literary figure has lived in it before. That seems to have worked for many London homeowners, according to new findings from real estate consultancy Knight Frank. It analyzed data on blue plaques, which appear on over 900 buildings across London and honor the notable men and women who have lived or worked in them. The scheme has been running for 150 years. Knight Frank’s research showed that the total sale value of homes in London with blue plaques connected to literary figures is more than £91 million, far exceeding the total generated by properties linked to any other profession. This was for 42 sales, with an average price of $2.2 million. MORE: How To Price Your Mansion There are more blue plaque properties associated with literary figures—103—than any other profession, while 78 of the homes were occupied by famous politicians. Affluent Hampstead in north London has the greatest number of homes with blue plaques: 64. The neighborhood has been home to an eclectic mix of celebrated poets, writers and painters such as George Orwell, Henry Cole and Philip De Laszlo. Posh Cheyne Walk in Chelsea, meanwhile, is the street with the most blue plaques, with a total of 10. “This research provides fantastic insight into the geographical spread of the plaques and the diverse fields of interest of their subjects. For the owners of these homes, the plaques are a reminder that they are guardians of buildings of historical interest which is a source of great pride,” Noel Flint, partner at Knight Frank and head of central London residential, said. “I have been fortunate enough to have been involved in the sale of a number of these properties and it is always met with great excitement when one comes onto the market. My personal favourites were A.A. Milne’s on Mallord Street and Bram Stoker’s on St. Leonard’s Terrace.” MORE From Mansion Global: