Are celebrity neighbours good for house prices?

Thanks to the UK's crazy property market, it's not unusual for a down-to-earth area to suddenly become a hot spot, Notting Hill being a prime example.

It means that relatively ordinary people who may have lived in the area for decades suddenly find they have celebrities next door.

See also: Robbie Williams angers neighbours - as renovations enter second year

See also: Judy Murray's home alterations worry neighbours

No doubt it's startling at first to see a TV star at the local corner shop - and rather exciting. But will famous neighbours add cachet to your home - or devalue it?

In terms of an area as a whole, there's no doubt that an influx of the rich and famous will add to its fashionability.

Just a few years ago, for example, Chipping Norton in Oxfordshire was seen as just another moderately pretty town. But after widespread publicity about the 'Chipping Norton set', house prices have rocketed - local residents David Cameron, Jeremy Clarkson and Alex James are quite a draw, it seems.

An influx of celebrities will often do wonders for the local economy, and encourage smart shops and restaurants to appear. All of this will appeal to other well-off buyers, and will drive local house prices higher.

However, celebrity neighbours aren't always good news.

Two years ago, property website Zoopla carried out a survey and discovered that 40% of Brits would hate to live next to a reality TV star.

And there's some justification for that view: Dionne Dacosta, who starred in the BBC programme Fat Men Can't Hunt, was actually kicked out of her house in Liverpool after complaints of loud parties and threatening behaviour.

And as it's compulsory to reveal any neighbour disputes as part of the sale process, famous neighbours that party like this can make a house much harder to sell.

House prices can also be hit by major building work next door - something that the rich and famous are particularly prone to. Robbie Williams, for example, has infuriated neighbours with his major renovations of Michael Winner's former home.

And when Judy Murray applied for permission to change the roof of her home in Scotland, neighbours complained that it would spoil the look of the area as a whole.

Overall, though, celebrity neighbours are probably a good thing for house prices, as they can give a property a little extra 'wow factor' - you'll just have to hope you get the right one.