Window of opportunity? 10 London homes that haven't been up for sale for fifty years or more

Best not set your heart on that wisteria-clad gem on the corner – it might not come up for sale for a few decades yet.

While the London property market may feel like a merry-go-round, no number of hopeful post-it notes through the letterbox will persuade the happiest habitants to sell up. Many will hold on to coveted family homes for a generation or more, unconvinced of more desirable digs elsewhere – or perhaps just put off by the faff of moving.

That tends to mean a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it resurfacing before a swift change of hands (’same family’ is the keyword of choice for the property portals).

We’ve found ten remarkable homes for sale that haven’t been seen on the open market for more than half a century.

Barnsbury, N1

£3.475 million

A double-fronted Georgian house in the conservation area, with a working fireplace and appealing mature garden. It’s also within walking distance of King’s Cross for speedy transport links.

Neilson & Bauer, 020 3871 5802

Belsize Park, NW3

£1.35 million

This three-storey mews house sits in a prime spot between four Tube stations. There’s an integrated garage, plus a wealth of midcentury-style wood panelling.

Heywoods, 020 3866 6772

Bow, E3

£750,000

This bigger-than-most Victorian terrace near Victoria Park has time capsule interiors, including glorious 1930s fire surrounds and retro kitchen. It’s ripe for an extension or reconfiguration.

Butler & Stag, 020 3834 8607

Forest Hill, SE23

£850,000

An appealing red-brick Victorian house on the border with Dulwich – almost next to the Horniman Museum and Gardens. There are five bedrooms, a courtyard garden and no onward chain.

Winkworth, 020 3856 4168

Sydenham, SE26

£1.5 million

A picture-perfect detached home on a private road near the station, with more than 2,500 square feet of space. Perks include off-street parking and a balcony overlooking the back garden.

Pedder, 020 3834 7866

Eltham, SE9

£475,000

A four-bedroom end-terrace townhouse with a typical midcentury layout and an attractive era-sympathetic kitchen. It’s being sold without a chain.

Bernard Skinner, 020 3866 7989

Chelsea, SW3

£4 million

A handsome and vast Edwardian home in a listed terrace backing onto Chelsea Park Gardens, which has been in the same family since the Sixties. There are five bedrooms and the same number of storeys.

John D Wood & Co, 020 3835 4101

Upper Holloway, N19

£900,000

This attractive three-bedroom period house is on a quiet street between Holloway, Crouch End and Finsbury Park, but it requires a committed buyer prepped for a top-to-bottom overhaul. It’s on without a chain.

Drivers & Norris, 020 3834 8624

Wimbledon, SW19

£6.95 million

Minutes from the Common, this almost Provençal-style detached home has more than 4,000 square feet of space inside and a wonderfully secluded rear garden. There’s also a self-contained annexe above the garage with its own entrance.

Savills, 020 3879 5174

Mill Hill, NW7

£1 million

This characterful detached home was once a pair of Georgian cottages, and still bears beautiful old brickwork and timbers. It’s being sold with permission for an extension, which will create an orangery, a new bathroom and a ground floor WC.

Unique Property Company, 020 3987 1739