Once a forgotten East London suburb, Hackney now has a thriving arts and fashion scene, as well as world renowned bars and clubs. Hackney has seen one of the biggest transformations in the past twenty years going from a tiny pocket of London with fragmented areas of properties and local amenities to one of the most sought after area in East London.

It has become an incredibly vibrant and sought after place to live in recent years and continues to enjoy some of the fastest and most consistently rising house prices in London. And it's easy to see why. The new East London line provides direct connections to the City, Docklands and West End. Education is also on the up: two of London's most successful City Academies are in Hackney and there are plans to rebuild or renovate every other Hackney school by 2016. Primary and Secondary schools are ever excelling with more City Academies planned for the future.

There's a diverse selection of housing – Georgian and Victorian terraces, award winning modern developments, canal-side apartments, warehouse and school conversions alike – as well as an abundance of conservation areas, parks, trendy shops, bars, bistros and restaurants.

Hackney is one of the most talked about places in London. In recent years it has attracted food lovers with a range of farmers markets and innovative restaurants. It has also become a creative mecca attracting art and fashion lovers. This means the area has some of the best attractions around.

Now closely affiliated with some of the best fashion designers in the industry, Hackney always has new pop-up ventures and exciting stores to explore. The Hackney Fashion Hub, due for completion in 2015, will make Hackney one of the best retail destinations around.

Despite being close to the City, Hackney benefits from some amazing open spaces and parks which hugely contribute to its popularity.  With cycling more popular in Hackney than any other London borough, there are also some great spaces for locals to explore on two wheels.