Relocating to Hornchurch / Elm Park / Gidea Park - help I'm not local!

[Sophie528]

If anyone is able to help I'd be so grateful!

My husband and I are relocating to Essex for work (he'll be in Grays and I'll be in Holborn in the City). We have a 4.5 month old and a 2.5 year old, so need to be in good infant school catchments. Less bothered about secondary as well probably move again in 2-3 years. I'm retraining as a solicitor so money will be tight and hours long for the next 2 years, so I need to be max 1 hr door to door from my office in Holborn. Ideally OH will be less than 30 mins drive from West Thurrock as he'll be doing nursery pick up. We won't have any family / friends nearby so desperately need to pick a good family friendly area we can grow into to.

Budget max £425k, ideally a 3 bed.

Please feel free to suggest new areas or parts of Elm Park / Hornchurch / Gidea Park that are good, bad or just plain ugly!

Brutal honesty appreciated!

They are all nice areas although some parts are better than others. (I don't know Gidea Park so well).

Have you looked at Upminster, house prices are expensive but a nice area with good schools and on the C2C mainline to London.

My friend lives in Upminster but on the outskirts so has to get a bus to the station and it takes her 1 hr 30 mins to get to Holborn (including 30 mins on the bus).The fast train goes to Fenchurch Street and she usually walks from there to work rather than using the tube.

I moved out of the area as house prices were too expensive for me but if I could would move back to Upminster as a first choice or Hornchurch as second choice.

I would say Upminster if you can afford it. Roomes Stores is a good independent department store famous in Upminster.

Hornchurch has Queens theatre I went to a lot of good shows there when I lived in Brentwood.

Thanks both. We really liked Upminster but don't think we can as an afford anything within a range that would limit my commute to around an hour. I think Hornchurch will be our next best bet. Are there any nicer / not so nice bits? North, south, east or west of the town centre?

We still are considering Gidea Park and Harold Wood. As maybe better long term with cross rail, but aren't really sure.

Send just accepted an offer on our house so pressure is on now!

I can't imagine you'll get a 3 bed in Upminster. Hornchurch has a nice town centre. Prices are a bit better. Nice roads near the station. Or you might get a house near gidea park station within budget (just) my brother just sold his there. Schools can be good- ardleigh green nelmes and towers are good. Good luck.

Didnt want to reply without checking with someone as Ive only driven through the area since I moved. She said all of Hornchurch is nice. Agree with zippywife -near Hornchurch Station or the roads around the Town Centre. From Hornchurch Station you would need to get the tube or bus to Upminster to get C2C or the tube to Barking to get the C2C (I think) so you may need to check travelling times.

I dont know much about Gidea Park but not heard anything bad about the area.

Yes, Upminster is too expensive for us although we have seen things in Changan, not sure what that's like?

My husband is going on a scouting mission tomorrow and it looking at houses on slewins lane and Northumberland avenue that seem to be in walking distance if Gidea Park but to the south, towards Hornchurch. The advantage of being near that line is that cross rail will improve journey times in a couple of years.

Thanks for the names of schools, those are Ines that had come up when searching, so good to he reassured they are the popular ones.