Location, location,location… that’s what the experts in the property world keep telling us is the key to finding a new home.

Well, who are we to disagree. Except, of course, it is not location alone which makes a property special.

It needs to have something of the wow factor in its own right if it is to really catch the eye.

So, this week, we’ve put together a series of homes that we think have both. The location, location in this instance is York city centre. And they are properties which all have wow factors in their own right.

Starting with a superb riverside apartment at Waterfront House, Clementhorpe, a delightfully stylish home in an enviable location with great views of the River Ouse from no less than three of its rooms.

Starting with the brilliant (in all senses of the word) through living/dining room which has an eye-catching large arch window with Juliet balcony, providing great views across the river and beyond. The chic touches here include oak flooring, slim panel heaters and ceiling coving.

The kitchen has recently been completely upgraded and provides a range of base and wall units in high white gloss with contrasting black granite work surfaces. There’s a built-in breakfast bar and a host of integrated appliances, including fridge, freezer, washer/dryer, an oven and hob (all top quality fittings, too with names like John Lewis and Bosch among the brands on show).

The master bedroom is a gem with a range of fitted wardrobes and laminated beech flooring – mirrored in the second double bedroom which also has a range of wardrobes. It is all wrapped up with a hugely elegant bathroom with marble tiling, a spa bath and Black Wenge built-in units. A top-class riverside property which RM English is offering at £334,995.

Our next featured apartment, in Talbot Court, Low Petergate, might not have river views but, boy oh boy, does it have views of its own… in this case of York Minster (looking out from the windows the famous old landmark feels close enough to reach out and touch). And this is an apartment designed to make the most of its marvellous city centre location – the large lounge/dining room/kitchen, for instance, has windows to three sides, not only giving you those great views, but letting in plenty of light.

What’s more, because it is tucked away behind security gates, you would never know you were smack bang in the heart of historic York. As well as the main living/dining space, there is a master bedroom with an en-suite shower room and a smaller bedroom – with the advantage of French doors opening onto a balcony terrace where you can pull up a seat, a newspaper, a glass of wine and enjoy the sight of the Minster leaning gently over the communal gardens. And did we mention there is a second bathroom – and a huge (and beautifully finished) bathroom at that? All in all, it would be harder to find a more interesting or appealing city centre home. It is being marketed by Your Move Anscombs at a guide price of £290,000.

If we are talking about iconic buildings then, while it might not be the Minster, Rowntree Wharf is very much one of our city’s great landmarks.

And you can buy into a three-bedroomed apartment here for less than £200,000. A smart and spacious apartment it is, too, with a large lounge and a well-fitted kitchen with built-in oven and fridge/freezer. The master bedroom has an en-suite and there are two further bedrooms and a bathroom. This one is on the books of William H Brown at £199,950.

In a city full of impressive buildings, County House, within a hop, skip and a jump of the city centre, is yet one more to admire – as is the apartment we’ve chosen to feature here. It’s a duplex apartment with plenty of space to enjoy, including a big and bright open plan lounge and dining room and a well-fitted kitchen. On the same floor there is a master bedroom with an en-suite while there are two further bedrooms, a study and a bathroom on the floor above. Which is quite a lot on offer, we suggest, for the £229,950 asking price. Interested? Contact Ashtons.

Another decent home at a decent price comes in the shape of a smart apartment in The Tannery, a trendy development at the city end of Lawrence Street. This one also has three bedrooms, two of them on a ground floor level which also gives us a large open plan living/dining room and kitchen and a bathroom. On the floor, up a spiral staircase, there is a master bedroom, a characterful room with beamed ceiling and an en-suite. Again, a lot on offer for the price. Hudson Moody is asking for £219,950.