Does anyone know how the market is doing in either Manningtree, Wivenhoe or Whitstable?

[feesh]

We are currently overseas and looking into a move back to England. DH would be working near Stratford (London) station and I want to live by the sea. I have narrowed our search down to Manningtree, Wivenhoe or Whitstable as I know and love all of these places and they aren't too bad in terms of commuting (door to door to Stratford).

I am watching a few houses on Rightmove, but I am just wondering how the market is going in these places.

Are houses going close to the asking price, or are agents marketing them at silly prices to attract sellers? Is there any kind of crazy open day, sealed-bids nonsense going in any of these places?

I'm getting the vibe that the Manningtree market is quite slow, Whitstable a bit more fast-moving and Wivenhoe maybe somewhere in between? Could be totally wrong though, it's hard to gauge from abroad!

I'm trying to get a clear picture in my mind, because as soon as DH gets a job offer we are going to have to move quickly and decisively, so I need to know in advance if there is any point looking at houses which seem to be over our budget etc. Budget will be around £350k if that's any help.

Do you actually mean Whitstable? Manningtree and Wivenhoe are in the same part of the country, Whitstable is somewhere completely different.

I don't know what the market is doing, but if your dh is looking at commuting to Stratford then you might be better off looking at somewhere South of Colchester on that line, like Witham or Marks Tey. That said, I'd much rather live in Manningtree or Wivenhoe and having a longer commute.

Not much help, I know.

Yes definitely Whitstable - it has the fast HS1 into Stratford. And we definitely want to live on the coast, so these are literally the 3 places we have narrowed down our search to. I have lived near both Manningtree and Wivenhoe in the past so I know them well. Whitstable is slightly more of an unknown, but we have been there and love it there.

I love whistable and I know from a friend that it's a strong market with house buying.
I live in Southend: and before someone jumps in, it's not all Kiss Me Quick hats lol. I think we have it all. Lovely seafront, great schools, very good hospital. More resturants than you can shake a stick at. Great lively music scene. Great C2C rail line to London. And the icing on the cake: an airport.

How could I forget the university.

I can't comment on whitstable, but wivenhoe is rising a bit faster than manningtree (I've just moved within the general Colchester area).

Thanks, that kind of confirms what I was thinking. Not to keen on Southend, it's dangerously close to the in laws!