Nice villages to live in Essex???? Help!!

[dani141]

We're looking to move into Essex to be closer to family but we know very little about the areas!

My husband works in South London and has to drive to work (cannot use trains as he works as a printer so sometimes has to work into the middle of the night when no trains are running!) so we cant really go any further north than a couple of miles above Chelmsford or as far as Maldon. So we're looking for a really nice, but affordable (£300k for 3 bed house) village, anywhere in that search area! We would like a village (rather than town or outskirts of town) with a few shops and school (we have 2 young children).

Any ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thank you :-)

[Spickle]

or this

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-29125893.html

[SimLondon]

If your looking for nearer the A13 and proximity to the dartford crossing - then Orsett is quite nice. If i had to live in that area again I'd probably go for there.

[SeasonDance]

Another vote here for Hatfield Peverel. Good facilities, good school, good transport links.

We live in Great Totham and it's friendly and nice, but there is very little here. Great school though.

Definitely avoid our neighbouring village of Wickham Bishops. Full of women with rich husbands who don't have anything to do except gossip. Horrible place.

[Hanginggardenofboobylon]

That's rather unnecessary about WB Season. I have found it incredibly friendly and I don't have a rich husband or do nothing but gossip thank you.

[SeasonDance]

Sorry Hanginggarden, I shouldn't have made such a sweeping generalisation. I'm sure some WB people are perfectly lovely. I might have even met some of them but probably assumed they lived somewhere else! Shows up my inverted snobbery more than anything, I suppose.

Still don't move there though, OP. No facilities except a couple of pubs and shops and a village hall that costs £32 per hour to hire. £32!

I'm still backing Hatfield Peverel.

[Littleturkish]

Brentwood really is the best option for you, if you need to drive to London. Pricey, but a great time to invest before the new train links make the prices rocket.

[MrsCosmopilite]

I am very near to Brentwood and I dislike it. Mainly because it's noisy at night and because of it's notoriety derived from TOWIE.

Ingatestone is nicer, and far quieter.

Forgot about Doddinghurst. That's quite nice too. Chelmsford is likely to offer best prices, or certainly cheaper than Shenfield or Billericay.

[Alilb]

www.homes-on-line.com/essex/valerie-loveland.313/full_agent/f313_lb1301.htm
You'll be straight on the A12 from Little Braxted. It may be a little over budget though.