london's fanciest houses are opening their doors to people who just love browsing rightmove this weekend

Fancy taking a peek around some of London’s most impressive houses? (Picture: Open House Festival)

It’s no secret that rents in London are astronomically high – and without a hefty deposit or a boost from the Bank of Mum and Dad,for many,homeownership is out of the question.

So,is it any wonder that we like getting our kicks from window shopping? We’re talking trawling Rightmove or Zoopla for hours – not for the homes we can actually afford,but for the ones that feature in our dreams.

With that sentiment in mind,between September 13 and September 21,Londoners have the opportunity to live out their property dreams for a day and visit some of the city’s fanciest houses.

Every year since 1992,the Open House Festival has served as a celebration of both the architecture and the neighbourhoods that make London the beautifully diverse place that it is,as well as the people and communities that live there.

The festival programme for 2025 features residential homes and sites across the capital’s 33 boroughs,opening them up to the public to have a free nosy around.

We’re not just talking nicely decorated private homes,either: there are old hospital sites,self-built villages,and even graveyard tours,too. Spooky.

Want to get involved? Here are some of our top picks for the coming weekend.

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Pre-booked tours: Saturday,September 20.

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