With a no-deal separation from the EU looming large for the UK, it's an understandable Brits are jittery about house prices.
The housing market is starting to seriously wobble in some parts of the country, with prices in parts of London dropping by more than £21,000.
But residents across the UK believe that the value of their homes has taken a dive because their local supermarkets have closed and been replaced by less desirable brands.
According to research by UK banking group Lloyds, homes near upmarket supermarket chain Waitrose are worth 12 percent more than the UK average.
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But residents are nervous now that Waitrose has sold off some of their supermarkets to German discount supermarket Lidl.
Daphne Simpson, from Wollaton, in the north of England, where the local Waitrose is to be replaced by Lidl, told the BBC: "Three-quarters of the people who live here are not Lidl customers. They expect a higher quality product and this is what you get from Waitrose here."
Nelson Blackley, a retail research expert at Nottingham Trent University, told the Daily Mail: "Where you shop has often been interpreted as a barometer of social standing in a 'class-obsessed' Britain, and so Waitrose’s affluent shoppers have previously been happy to pay a premium for staple products because of the opportunity to also buy a wide and desirable range of premium foods."
However, outraged residents shouldn't alarmed, or so the stats suggest. According Lloyds, homes near budget supermarkets rose in value by a larger amount than those near a Waitrose – up 15 percent over the past four years.
It's not a phenomenon likely to be seen in New Zealand, though.
OneRoof property commentator Ashley Church says: "Kiwis don't typically buy based on the proximity of supermarkets or retailers. They aren't as class conscious and don't tend to identify themselves with particular supermarket chains.
"That said, there are Kiwis who seek out suburbs that are close to high-decile schools, because the school is seen to be what gives the suburb cache and adds value to houses in the area. Auckland's Double Grammar Zone is a case example this.
"Yes, Kiwis do want to buy homes that are close to supermarkets, service stations and restaurants, but not particular brands or chains of supermarkets, or service stations or shops."
Bayleys national residential manager Daniel Coulson agrees: "While there's not a comparable dynamic in New Zealand when it comes to supermarkets, there are amenities that can have an influence on a property's value depending proximity, such as schools, parks, public transport and restaurants."
He says that high-end retailers tend to seek out suburbs where there is an affluent customer base, not the other way round.
