MODERN houses just don’t have the same character as older properties, people will tell me from time to time.

That depends, I have to reply, on the house...

Some modern homes can, in fact, have a huge amount of character and style. And here’s just the property to prove the point.

The Villa, in Burton Gates, High Catton, is a simply stunning home, a wonderful light, bright and airy, innovative and stylishly-designed house.

It was built by the acclaimed Harvest Homes with the aim of providing individuality and high quality. If that was the aim then they certainly hit the target.

But, enough waxing lyrical, let us take your hand and lead you on the tour.

We’ll start with the handsome, mellow brick, barn conversionstyle exterior, giving the home an attractive exterior which blends nicely with the surrounding rural environment.

The ground floor spaces flow naturally and easily, thanks to interconnecting interior doors, allowing you long, beautiful open areas for entertaining evenings or, for quieter moments, separate rooms.

The breakfast kitchen is stunning, with white high-gloss units and contrasting black work surfaces and with a warm wood central preparation island and seating area.

You slide easily from here into a large dining room with patio doors opening out onto the garden and a high ceiling with an open landing area over.

Then you pad into a lovely living room, a charming spot with wood flooring underfoot and beams and trussed beams overhead. A French door and deep windows ensure this, too, is a lovely, bright room. And at some 18ft in length there is plenty of it!

All of these living spaces have been beautifully presented in a contemporary fashion yet with much charm incorporated into the design.

That swish styling and sense of lightness is continued on the first floor where there is a master bedroom suite with inset wardrobes and an en-suite shower room, three further good-sized bedrooms and a house bathroom.

Outside, there is also much to admire in the shape of an attractive walled garden with a raised decking area looking out on lawn and flower beds and mature trees.

And there is the added benefit of a double garage.

A smart home, then, and in a smart spot. High Catton is very much a rural retreat yet it is just ten minutes from Pocklington and only 20 minutes from York city centre. Best of all worlds, as it were.

The house is marketed by RM English at a guide price of £450,000.