Those looking at investing in property will, when undertaking their research, often look at what an area offers. However pleasant a property may be, its worth, either for the next buyer or in terms of rental value, may depend on the amenities around it.

For those investing in city centre apartments for professionals, for example, the high value is generated by the proximity of workplaces, transport links and nightlife. On the other hand, those investing in more suburban areas where the tenants may be families may consider the presence of facilities such as shops, schools and parks.

So it is when it comes to property investment in locations close to water. Estate agency Hamptons International has stated that homes in such locations enjoy an ambience that can add to the value of such a home by a fifth.

Ian Westerling, regional sales director for Hamptons in the Thames and Chilterns Region, said living in such properties was becoming increasingly popular. He said towns such as Henley, Windsor and Marlow were seeing increased buying from Londoners wishing to commute to the metropolis from en environment with a somewhat different ambience.

"Riverside properties were extremely popular in 2007 and this has not changed at the start of this year, despite the adjustment in the property market," he commented, adding that this also applied to other waterside locations such as streams, lakes and canals.

"Water views are an aesthetic characteristic and provide a pocket of tranquility and peace - away from the hustle and bustle of city living. Many buyers are enticed by a perceived way of life and this sustained demand is likely to continue to keep the prices of properties on the water up for the foreseeable future," he concluded.

Nor, it appears, is it just in attractive towns in leafy parts of southern England that this applies. The Stockport and Manchester Canal Society displays the same point about property prices rising by 20 per cent on its website. The society is campaigning for the restoration of the Stockport Canal, which was filled in during the 1960s and 70s.

The route taken by the canal does not pass through one of Greater Manchester's most salubrious areas; Reddish is not Bramhall and Gorton is not Didsbury. But even here, the argument has been made and given the amount of new apartment building that has occurred in and around Manchester it is possible any such restoration could provide some attractive new sites for developers and investors.

In other areas new waterside developments could also make investments in existing property nearby more attractive. Earlier this month the Daily Telegraph reported that this may be about to take place in Birkenhead, a much sung-about ferry ride across the Mersey from Liverpool where terraced houses can be had for as little as £75,000.

Now, the paper reports, this could be about to change as developers Peel Holdings plan a £4.5 billion waterfront development which will see Birkenhead's skyline transformed with skyscrapers filled with apartments. If this has a positive affect on surrounding properties, it may provide investors near the waterfront of today properties which will sell for far more once the transformation takes place.

In today's world Property investment is an excellent investment option especially investment in UK