Three-bed luxury flat, London

Lilly Sinclair, 40, bought her one-bedroom flat in St John's Wood, North-West London, three years ago for £290,000. Her plan was to rent it out long-term, but last October, the tenant, a Japanese woman, decided to go home and this gave Lilly an opportunity to realise her equity in the flat, which is now worth £400,000.

She picked her renovation team carefully, and is pleased they've refurbished the flat in under six months. But it's been expensive - the final bill is more than £40,000. Lilly's estate agent, Paul Sennett of Hamptons International, says she is unusual because she is selling the flat fully furnished.

But, it's a wise plan. 'It's more difficult to sell an empty ex-rental flat like this, as potential buyers have problems imagining what it's like with furniture,' he says.