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Original poster

Anyone want to play Phil and Kirstie? Find me a nice house in Essex...

32 replies

Karcheer · 02/09/2019 13:49

I grew up on the Essex/east london borders but have been living in Bucks for nine years. We are planning on moving back to Essex, but I really don’t know where to go to. I don’t want to go back to where I was before but that’s about all I do know. I don’t know which areas are good and which aren’t :/
DH commutes to london a couple of times a week.
I’d like 4/5 beds, need two Ensuite was my fil stays sometimes and a study preferably downstairs for when dh wfh.
I’ve a cat so no main roads.
Ideally we’d like a new house as I’m diy’d out!

Help! :)

OP posts:
Blue5238 · 04/09/2019 18:14

If I was going to live in Essex and only had to commute to London twice a week I'd live in Leigh on Sea. Given I commute to the City 5 days a week I live in zone 2/3 border.
Is Essex for family connections? On that budget, if I wanted a short commute I'd live in se London, if I wanted further out I'd live by the sea. What are you looking for in particular?

Spickle · 04/09/2019 18:50

I live in Essex and would say that for your budget and the need to commute into London, you should look at Shenfield (approx. 22 mins into Liverpool St). You can use the Oyster card from this station as well as Upminster. Upminster still seems like the London Borough of Havering that it is - red London buses for example, whereas Shenfield is on the edge of countryside and feels less like London suburbs.

For example, you could look at properties in Shenfield on Hutton Mount, which is a private estate/roads. The properties are lovely but pricey, going far above 1.3 for many, but there are a few smaller properties dotted here and there which could work for you. Also, edge of Hutton Mount is very popular. Lots of the properties here have been extended and because it is pretty sought after, the value of property there is rising.

I'm in Billericay which is one stop further on from Shenfield, which is also lovely - Norsey Road being one of the top roads. However, no Oyster card here, trains take around 30 minutes but no seats!

Original poster
Karcheer · 04/09/2019 19:21

I’d really like probably a 5bed with at least two Ensuites and a downstairs study, my husband would like a separate dining room and a garage. I’d like a quiet road for my cat.
We are moving to Essex for family.
We did a lot of work on our current house and my husband doesn’t want to do it again, so we’d prefer new. School catchments are an issue.

OP posts:
Original poster
Karcheer · 04/09/2019 20:24

I’m meant school catchments AREN’T an issue...

OP posts:
Chewbecca · 05/09/2019 08:25

What features are you looking for in location OP?

For many folk, that's more important than the physical house, but maybe not for you? For e.g. in a bigger town, in a village, in the countryside, how do you feel about TOWIE types? Is being multicultural important to you? Do you like independent stores and cafe culture? How close do you want to be to various amenities?
Essex is a massive county so you'll want to narrow down areas.

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