Living in Essex

[Kingoftheroad]

Had anyone moved from Scotland to Essex or vice versa. Where would you recommend looking for houses? Would like to be in a nice town. Apartment or small house.

Also, where would you consider has the best overall quality of life?

There’s a very small village called Orsett. It’s lovely and a world away from its surroundings. I don’t live there anymore but if I was ever forced back to Essex this is where I’d go.

Mid-Essex and surrounding towns are nice such as Chelmsford, Wickford, Billericay.

We have family in Maldon which seems very nice but no train station nearest large town is Chelmsford

Depends on what lifestyle you are looking for? Some nice places and some not so many.

Anywhere from Ongar, Dunmow ,Chelmsford area.
I'd avoid Colchester and Harlow. Lived in both places and don't like it. We love Ongar but not in a position to move at the moment.

Thank you everyone. Thinking of relocating semi retired and want to be near family.

If anyone has made the move from Scotland to Essex or vice versa where would you consider has the best quality of life

Wickford is awful. Just a commuter town with takeaways and charity shops. Rayleigh or Chelmsford, parts of Leigh on sea are nice.

Property/ rent is more expensive and other things might cost more (meals out etc). Traffic is generally awful in the south east and the pace of life is just fast. So it would depend how much money you had and what you value.

A lot will depend on your budget as well.
Most of Essex is very high house prices and rents.
Having lived in multiple parts of the county I like Chelmsford and surrounding small suburbs best for a nice mix of having a city centre with shops and amenities and some nice open green spaces / countryside outside the city.