old Harlow

[onadarkcloud]

If you live in the area please can you provide plus points and bad points? We saw a house we liked but everyone we speak to seems to say 'But it's Harlow!'. It is Old Harlow , surely it can't be that bad?

I come from a village fairly near to Harlow. Would say that Old Harlow is definitely much nicer than the New Town and quite sought-after. Not having lived there I don't know of any bad points to tell you though. Whereabouts do you live at the moment?

In SE London. We are looking to move out for more space, a safer environment for dd to grow up in and better schools yet still commutable to London especially as dd is going to be turning 4 near the end of the year so we need to apply for a reception place for next year.
Old Harlow seems quite village-ey but when we've spoken to people outside of the area there seems to be a snobbery about it. I don't understand it myself but don't know the area.

I live quite near and never really think of it as a separate entity to Harlow. It's just another neighbourhood like Potter Street and Church Langley to me but more expensive with high council tax. The schools are average. For better schooling I would go a few miles north into Hertfordshire to Sawbridgeworth or Bishop's Stortford which are still on the main line into London.

I live and teach in Harlow. Old harlow is lovely. The local primary schools in Old harlow are good- lovely shopping centre ( we use the bakers, hairdressers and opticians there) it has a lovely paddling pool (at the Norman booth Centre) which is v popular in summer. The rest of Harlow is ok ( some bits better than others) The main shopping centre has been revamped (the water gardens) there are lots of cycle routes and the town park has a small farm and an adventure playground. There is a brand new leisure centre and huge swimming pool. Good public transport links. Great sports clubs for kids - my son does football, cricket and athletics,

As for schooling - there are some fantastic primary schools much better than average- and as for secondary schools my son is going to one rated "outstanding" by ofsted and it is in Harlow!

down side - some of Harlow has dodgy pubs/areas but there are those everywhere in any area. Some of the schools have a poor reputation in the past but are changing rapidly.

Hey everyone thanks for the advice. We've also been looking at Sawbridgeworth and villages around Stortford, yet to find The One yet. Looked around the Mulberry Green area in Old Harlow which seems ok? I don't know much about the schools here though.

Mulberry Green - is that the new estate? If it is, it seemed too many houses too close together imo.

I went to have a look at them last week so no Harlow snobbery from me, but tbh for the money they are asking you could find something similar in a better area.