18 Drakes Drive, St. Albans, AL1 5AF

UPRN:100080848129Semi-Detached House3 bedsBuilt 1967-1975

FreeholdCouncil Tax: Band DEPC: C (73)

Data freshness:Listing· freshPlanning· 4mo agoOwnership· freshEPC· 5mo agoRisk· 5mo agoCrime· freshConnectivity· 1mo agoSchools· 1mo agoAmenities· 2mo agoArea· Census 2021Council Tax· 1mo ago

HP Score

/ 100

Mixed

Verdict

yesterday

Verdict: INVESTIGATE, on a scale of Buy, Investigate, Avoid.
Mixed signals - investigate

Evidence

17 of 21 sources

Sale Estimate

£849,000

£807k - £892kHigh

Estimate

£849k

Range

£807k – £892k

Rent Estimate (pcm)

£3,000

£3k - £3k

Monthly

£3,000

Yield

4.00%

Verdict

Derived from HomePortfolio scores

18 Drakes Drive earns an INVESTIGATE rating with HP Score 72/100. Investment score 55/100 reflects moderate fundamentals. Crime intensity is low. Walkability is limited (54/100). Flood risk is not assessed: check the Environment Agency long-term flood map before offering. Tenure is freehold. Every figure here comes from the live HomePortfolio API; anything it does not publish is left out.

Key SourcesEPC RegisterPortal listingsOfcom Connected NationsMarket estimates (third-party AVM)HM Land Registry sales matched to addressDefra strategic noise mapping, England Round 4 (Contains Defra data © Crown copyright and database right 2023-2024, Open Government Licence v3.0)Walk ScoreONS Census 2021Police.ukHM Land Registry covenantsHM Land Registry Price PaidPlanIt / council planning portalsOverture Maps PlacesOfsted / DfE GIAS

HP Score

72/ 100

Mixed

Investment Score

55/ 100

Moderate

Crime Score

20/ 100

Moderate

Walkability

54/ 100

Moderate

Transit & Bike

Transit 16Bike 52

Walk Score, out of 100

Opportunity

Why this could be an opportunity

Low confidence0 independent sourcesLead to verifyListing checked 14 Nov 2026

This rests largely on a single source. Treat the score as a prompt to investigate, not a conclusion.

Check before relying on this score: the advert has 5 bedrooms but the valuation snapshot describes 3 - an extension, conversion or HMO the evidence does not reflect, or a different home. It ranks after every home whose inputs are verified.

Valuation edge0/15
claims [AVM -6.0% (HIGH), sold-comps -61.9%, £/sqft -61.9%] → measured edge +0.00pp of the ask; on later-registered sales an AVM discount carried no edge and a sold-evidence gap at most +0.5pp
Market estimate used (HIGH confidence) · snapshot 9 Nov 2026
- valuation_snapshotsestimate for 100080848129· as of 9 Nov 2026
- property_comparablessold-evidence family (implied value + £/sqft): 12 comps, dispersion 14.4%· as of 7 Nov 2026
Rental economics0/40
gross yield 4.0%; range width penalty ×0.73
- valuation_snapshotsrent estimate 3000/mo (range 2650-3350)· as of 9 Nov 2026· verify before relying on this
Stress margin0/30
stressed cash flow -1,722/mo, -57% of rent (6.75% on a 75% loan; no service charge or ground rent disclosed); fails the stress - earns nothing
- underwriting_assumptionscosts not disclosed by the advert· as of 14 Nov 2026
Seller motivationNot scored
context, not scored: 0 price cut(s), 396 days on market; homes with a cut sold 0.2-0.3pp further below the cut ask, which is not an edge
- portal_listingsprice_changes + first_published_date· as of 14 Nov 2026
Risk & liquidity14.6/15
383 sales/12mo in area; valuation range width 10%
- property_intelligencetransactions_12mo

4 of 4 components scored. Ranks on gross yield, the stress margin, risk and disclosed facts. A pricing claim earns only its measured edge: today 0 for the market estimate and at most +0.5pp for sold evidence. The score itself is not yet checked against the outcomes of homes it scored.

Economics

What happens to your money

Price sensitivity

£675,000£1,035,000

The same scorer re-run at hypothetical asking prices, holding rent, comps and listing history constant. Not a prediction of what the seller would accept.

Your assumptions

Purchase price£900,000

At the asking price

Monthly rent£3,000/mo

Evidenced range £2,650-£3,350

Interest rate5.4%

Loan to value75%

Cash required: £306,300
Net cash flow: -£961/mo
Cash on cash: -3.8%
Score at this price: 15

After a 8% void allowance, 15% management and 10% maintenance. Lender coverage (rent ÷ interest): 0.99 - below the usual 1.25 test. These are your assumptions, not evidence: only the pre-filled rent and price come from the record.

Evidence

Where every number comes from

valuation_snapshotsestimate for 100080848129Valuation edge · as of 9 Nov 2026
property_comparablessold-evidence family (implied value + £/sqft): 12 comps, dispersion 14.4%Valuation edge · as of 7 Nov 2026
valuation_snapshotsrent estimate 3000/mo (range 2650-3350)Rental economics · as of 9 Nov 2026 · verify before relying on this
underwriting_assumptionscosts not disclosed by the advertStress margin · as of 14 Nov 2026
portal_listingsprice_changes + first_published_dateSeller motivation · as of 14 Nov 2026

Risks

What could kill this deal

Score confidence is low
largely a single source - treat the number as a prompt, not a conclusion
Rental economics needs verification before you rely on it
rent estimate 3000/mo (range 2650-3350)
Seller motivation could not be scored
context, not scored: 0 price cut(s), 396 days on market; homes with a cut sold 0.2-0.3pp further below the cut ask, which is not an edge

Property risk deep-dive →

Plan

Before you offer

1. Get two written rental appraisals from local lettings agents.
The rent estimate rests on area-level evidence, not lettings on this street.
2. Commission a full structural survey, not a basic condition report.
The score prices market evidence, not the fabric of the building.

Every step above was generated from a specific gap or flag in the evidence - no generic advice, no invented tasks.

Valuation & Market

Sale Estimate£849,000

Rent Estimate (pcm)£3,000

Gross Yield4.00%

1y Growth-

3y Growth+0.3%

5y Growth+1.2%

10y Growth+2.0%

Last Sold Price£235,000 (2005-08-23)

View Market Details

Risk Overview

Flood RiskUnknown
SubsidenceSignificant
RadonLow
MiningSignificant
LandslideLow
Air QualityLow
NoiseModerate

View Full Risk Report

Planning Activity

Recent Apps

0AL1 5AF

Approval Rate

-12mo

Development

low

26/1973/PAHSE
Prior Notification - Single storey rear extension 3.30m in height x 4m in depth with 3m height to eaves
Pending
26/0525/TPO
T226 Oak - Crown reduction by 3-4m (back to previous trimming points) and crown thin 15%. This will contain the crown spread which will result retainment longer
Pending
TP/2026/0508
T1 Grand Fir - Reduce overall height by approximately 8 to 10 metres, subject to the availability of suitable viable growth points and retention of a balanced crown. Pruning cuts should be directed to healthy, viable growth displaying good vigour, with the declining upper crown and significant deadwood removed.
Pending

View Planning Timeline

Ownership

Corporate Ownership46.5%
Overseas OwnershipNo
Lease Term Remaining-
CovenantsRestrictive
Lease TypeFreehold
Last Ownership Change2005-08-23
SourceLand Registry

View Ownership Details

Connectivity

Broadband (Standard)

5 Mbps

Mobile 4G/5G Coverage

EV Charger

PTAL Rating

View Connectivity Map

Area Profile

Median EarningsLocal authority£45,543

Population Density556 /km²

Owner Occupied82%

Age Distribution

0-15 20%16-64 63%65+ 17%

View Area Profile

Schools Nearby

Windermere Primary School
0.1 mi
Area grades2025
Inspected after Ofsted withdrew the single overall grade.
Camp Primary and Nursery School
0.2 mi
Good
Cunningham Hill Infant School
0.4 mi
Outstanding
Cunningham Hill Junior School
0.4 mi
Outstanding

5 of 11 nearby schools with published figures were oversubscribed in 2026 - demand, not a catchment.

View All Schools

Comparables

View All

2A Drakes Drive
-
£441k
-
2 Drakes Drive
-
£420k
-
2A Drakes Drive
-
£315k
-
2 Drakes Drive
-
£390k
-

Boundary data not available for this property

No registered title polygon, building footprint, or street match for this property yet.

Why: No HMLR INSPIRE / OSM footprint / OS Open USRN match for this UPRN

Source: HM Land Registry INSPIRE / OpenStreetMap / OS Open USRN