254 Watford Road, St. Albans, AL2 3DL

UPRN:100080870101Detached House4 bedsBuilt 1900-1929

FreeholdCouncil Tax: Band FEPC: C (69)

Data freshness:Listing· freshPlanning· 4mo agoOwnership· freshEPC· 5mo agoRisk· 5mo agoCrime· freshConnectivity· 1mo agoSchools· 1mo agoAmenities· 2mo agoArea· Census 2021Council Tax· 6mo ago

HP Score

/ 100

Mixed

Verdict

2 days ago

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

Evidence

18 of 21 sources

Sale Estimate

£968,000

£871k - £1.06MMedium

Estimate

£968k

Range

£871k – £1.06M

Rent Estimate (pcm)

£3,950

£4k - £4k

Monthly

£3,950

Yield

4.86%

Verdict

Derived from HomePortfolio scores

254 Watford Road earns an INVESTIGATE rating with HP Score 68/100. Investment score 55/100 reflects moderate fundamentals. Crime intensity is low. Walkability is limited (46/100). 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 NationsOfcom mobile coverageMarket 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

68/ 100

Mixed

Investment Score

55/ 100

Moderate

Crime Score

25/ 100

Moderate

Walkability

46/ 100

Mixed

Transit & Bike

Transit 12Bike 40

Walk Score, out of 100

Opportunity

Why this could be an opportunity

Low confidence0 independent sourcesListing checked 9 Nov 2026

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

Valuation edge0/15
claims [AVM -0.7% (MEDIUM)] → 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 (MEDIUM confidence) · snapshot 11 Nov 2026
- valuation_snapshotsestimate for 100080870101· as of 11 Nov 2026
Rental economics0/40
gross yield 4.9%; range width penalty ×0.82
- valuation_snapshotsrent estimate 3950/mo (range 3600-4350)· as of 11 Nov 2026· verify before relying on this
Stress margin0/30
stressed cash flow -1,340/mo, -34% 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 9 Nov 2026
Seller motivationNot scored
context, not scored: 0 price cut(s), 53 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 9 Nov 2026
Risk & liquidity12.8/15
230 sales/12mo in area; valuation range width 20%
- 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

£731,000£1,121,000

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£975,000

At the asking price

Monthly rent£3,950/mo

Evidenced range £3,600-£4,350

Interest rate5.4%

Loan to value75%

Cash required: £335,050
Net cash flow: -£556/mo
Cash on cash: -2.0%
Score at this price: 13

After a 8% void allowance, 15% management and 10% maintenance. Lender coverage (rent ÷ interest): 1.20 - 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 100080870101Valuation edge · as of 11 Nov 2026
valuation_snapshotsrent estimate 3950/mo (range 3600-4350)Rental economics · as of 11 Nov 2026 · verify before relying on this
underwriting_assumptionscosts not disclosed by the advertStress margin · as of 9 Nov 2026
portal_listingsprice_changes + first_published_dateSeller motivation · as of 9 Nov 2026
property_intelligencetransactions_12moRisk & liquidity

Sold comparables in depth

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 3950/mo (range 3600-4350)
Seller motivation could not be scored
context, not scored: 0 price cut(s), 53 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£968,000

Rent Estimate (pcm)£3,950

Gross Yield4.86%

1y Growth-

3y Growth-0.6%

5y Growth+1.7%

10y Growth+2.8%

Last Sold Price£440,000 (2006-11-21)

View Market Details

Risk Overview

Flood RiskUnknown
SubsidenceSignificant
RadonModerate
MiningLow
LandslideLow
Air QualityLow
NoiseModerate

View Full Risk Report

Planning Activity

Recent Apps

0AL2 3DL

Approval Rate

-12mo

Development

low

26/1828/NMA
Non-material amendment - relocation of the sub-station to 5m north-east of the approved location of planning permission 5/2024/1915 dated 21/11/2025 for Submission of Reserved Matters (details of appearance, landscaping, layout and scale) in respect of the erection of 191 dwellings and associated car parking and infrastructure following outline planning permission 5/2022/0927 dated 22/03/2024, allowed on appeal, for Outline application (access sought) - Demolition of existing structures and construction of up to 391 dwellings (Use Class C3), provision of land for a new 2FE primary school, open space provision and associated landscaping. Internal roads, parking, footpaths, cycleways, drainage, utilities and service infrastructure and new access arrangements
Pending
26/1808/HSE
Single storey front and rear extension
Pending
26/1824/CON
Discharge of Condition 15 (Construction environmental management plan) of planning permission 5/2021/3194 allowed at appeal dated 22/03/2024 for Outline application (access sought) for demolition of existing buildings, and the building of up to 330 discounted affordable homes for Key Workers, including military personnel, the creation of open space and the construction of new accesses and highway works including new foot and cycle path and works to junctions
Pending

View Planning Timeline