MOST people love the idea of historic period properties – but we’re not all keen on the work that sometimes goes along with them… the refurbishments, the upgrades and the updates that can be needed to bring them into the modern world.

What if, then, you could find a beautiful older home that has already had all the work done for you? A delightful period treasure that has plenty of mod cons, if you like...

Well, we’ve found just the thing for you. It’s a delightful, historic home in one of York’s ancient streets, so close to the Minster that you could almost reach out and touch it. It is a charming Grade IIlisted Georgian townhouse in Precentors Court, in the very heart of the city, which has been extensively and sympathetically restored and refurbished by the renowned Plaskitt and Plaskitt partnership.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity to acquire a piece of the historic heritage of the city,” says selling agents Ashtons. And who are we to disagree? Certainly the P&P style swathes itself around the sprawl of this home, spreading gently across four storeys.

Beginning with the ground floor, where an entrance hall gives you access to a dining room with an arch through to a contemporary kitchen. On the first floor there is a large lounge with deep sash windows and a feature period fireplace and a house bathroom across the landing. Tripping up to the second floor we find two bedrooms and a shower room and there is a further bedroom to the third floor.

An historic gem with modern comforts, it is offered by Ashtons at a guide price of £650,000.

Having got a taste for smartlyrefurbished properties, we cast a hungry eye around and found two other appetising homes.

The first of these is an imaginatively- restyled coach house conversion located in Holgate Road, just off The Mount and a short stroll into the city centre. In fact this property was originally a coach house to one of the grand homes on The Mount – and it still retains its period charm while having plenty of contemporary styling.

There has been, say selling agents Naish, a further programme of refurbishment over the last ten years and there are certainly a lot of home comforts among the grandeur.

The house offers an entrance hall, beyond which there is a newlymodernised kitchen and dining room with utility and shower room off, a study and beautiful living area with French doors opening onto a pleasant garden room which runs the length of the back of the house.

And, yes, there is a good-sized garden (a real plus in a city centre home) which includes a private lawned area, facing south-east, two paved terraces and an ornamental fish pond. There’s also a gravelled driveway to the front with plenty of parking space (another bonus).

Back inside the house and tripping up the stairs, we find four bedrooms, three of them with fitted wardrobes and two with en-suites while there is also a house bathroom.

It is, says agents Naish, beautifully presented throughout – and again we agree.

An unusual and interesting city centre home offered by Naish at a guide price of £375,000.

On the other side of town, meanwhile, we found a delightful period semi-detached on Stockton Lane which, as with the previous two featured here, is a home which has been considerably improved and upgraded.

We’ve always liked the handsome curved bays and red brick respectability of 1930s semidetached houses – and this one is a gem in the treasure chest.

Behind the smiling facade there is much to admire here, including the real selling point in our view, a superb modern kitchen/dining room extension which has provided us with a stylish, modern kitchen with ultra-modern high black and contrasting bright white base and wall units with solid wood work surfaces and tiled floor.

This area opens on to conservatory- style family room/dining area.

All in all a marvellous light and bright spot. The lounge has plenty of character, too, with coving and picture rail and a feature periodstyle fireplace and deep bay window.

There’s also a formal dining room. Upstairs there are three bedrooms and a house bathroom.

And then (another reason why we so like 1930s semis) a superb, long garden, mostly laid to lawn with trees, hedges, shrubs, curved and shaped flowerbeds and a decorative pergola.

A superb example of its kind, 21 Stockton Lane is offered by Stephensons at a guide price of £349,995.