Where in South Essex should I consider?

[startingoveragainagain]

I grew up in Essex but a lot has changed since then. I need to find somewhere commutable to Basildon and Chelmsford. I'll have about £400k, dogs and a cat.

What kind of property are you looking for? I live in the town between both.

Rayleigh would be my choice.

What type of property have you in mind, as that budget could stretch to very different types in different places?

Simply in terms of commuting, those towns are on different train lines so will you be using car or bus?

Depending on answer to first point above, Billericay could fit the bill? Has a lovely park (Lake Medows) and a nice High Street (Waitrose etc.).

IMO, best areas are north Billericay and east (Goosebury Green, Queens Park, Western Road side) rather than Outwood Common or South Green side of town.

How many bedrooms do you need? Are schools a consideration? Will you be driving or getting the train? Do you prefer a town or village?

I love Leigh on Sea but it's quite pricey (your budget would get a nice flat but you'd struggle for a family home).

Hockley is really nice.

Brentwood and the surrounding villages are lovely.

A lot of Chelmsford itself is nice.

I would pick a village near Chelmsford, or alternatively Maldon. I would call that area Mid-Essex, I'm not that keen on south Essex which I associate with Southend/Grays/Benfleet etc. Not to say they aren't nice I just prefer a12 Essex over a13 Essex if you see what I mean!

Billericay

It really depends on your requirements but I’d look at Billericay, Langdon Hills, Noak Bridge and parts of Brentwood.

Ooo lots of questions...

@Chanel05 - i'm fairly flexible, it's going to be a big downsize for me so what I want and what I'll be able to get are probably quite far removed. Ideally, it would be detached, semi at a push. 2/3 bedrooms, a very quiet location, if 2 beds would need somewhere to work, a nice secure garden, as un overlooked as possible... en-suite, dressing room, utility room :/

@fireflyloo are there good and bad areas of Rayleigh do you know?

@JohnnyM I'd prefer smaller house and better location. I'll be driving.
Thanks for the advice on areas within Billericay, i've no clue.

@MadEyeMoodysEye No, I don't need to worry about schools. I'm really torn about town or village. I did used to live in Snaresbrook and miss the ability to jump on the tube to London (but i'm not that person anymore), I'm currently living in a very small village in Suffolk, and I love the dog walks from my front door and the fresh air - not sure. I'll be on my own, so maybe I need to be a bit more connected :/ Where in Chelmsford is nice?

@ILookAtTheFloor which villages are nice? I hadn't considered Maldon at all.

The traffic in Rayleigh though! You can't get in or out 😆

With £400k to spend I'd look at Basildon. Not the town centre estates, but lots of nice residential areas on the outskirts and you can't beat it for green spaces, leisure facilities and transport links.

There are lots of lovely villages- Little Baddow, Woodham Walter, East Hanningfield, West Hanningfield (probably better for a Basildon commute) Great Waltham, Little Waltham, Danbury, Purleigh.

I second Maldon - also Danbury, little baddow, Stock. All close to great green space and estuary for great walks/pubs etc.

Purleigh is also lovely - I drive through there to the gym every week, lovely little spot.

For Basildon and Chelmsford, along the A130 is your best bet as it links the two towns, if easiest commute is your aim. The A130 usually runs pretty well at peak times too, unlike the A12, which is a nightmare.

Have you looked at South Woodham Ferrers for a small town, or East Hanningfield/Bicknacre/Howe Green/Danbury for a village?

£400k will get a pretty nice 3 bed round there.

Maldon's a lovely town but adds a fair bit to your commute. No train station.

What's Wickford like?

IMO Wickford.is an upity Basildon. It has all the problems of Basildon and none of the amenities, but somehow believes itself to be a bit better 😆

I’d go for somewhere mid Essex Feering/ Kelvedon/ Earls Colne/ Coggeshall/ Danbury etc

Wickford wouldn't be my choice. It does have a branch railway line.

I've lived in Rayleigh, Wickford and Billericay and worked in Chelmsford, commuting there from Billericay.

Rayleigh has many nice areas and some not so nice. Haven't lived there for a long time, though I still go there to visit friends at least once a week.

Rayleigh and Billericay are both nice, but your £400k won't go as far in Billericay. West Billericay also nice (JohnnyM didn't mention this).

Wickford was lovely and friendly in the 80s and 90s, but is sadly going downhill now. Town is suffering and traffic is bad. But £400k would buy a decent house.

The Melbourne Estate in Chelmsford is not very desirable. There is a new estate, Beaulieu Park (station is being planned there), which is nice. Writtle has character properties and a nice village centre. There is also Chelmer Village, newish 90s builds and Sandon also nice. Old Moulsham very nice, character properties.

There is good and bad in all areas obviously.

How about Rochford, Hockley or Canewdon?

I've lived in Billericay for the best part of a decade and I'm moving to Chelmsford this year, namely because Billericay is very expensive to buy in now.

You would struggle for find a 3 bed detached in Billericay for £400k (my semi has sold for more than this) though you'd probably get that for a semi in Wickford. Maldon is very pricey too.

We're moving to Chelmer Village, again not super cheap (but cheaper than a similar property type in Billericay). Personally, I wouldn't choose to live in Basildon/Laindon/Benfleet.

Your money would go much further the further into Essex you go (naturally) and you'd get a decent house for your budget Braintree/ Halstead way and Witham at a push.

I don’t think you’ll get much for your budget in the hanningfields or stock as suggested above, though they are lovely. Benfleet/hadleigh would fit the bill location wise but isn’t villagey really - maybe daws Heath but it’s small and not much comes on the market. Still worth a look. There are some nice villages near wickford like downham or ramsden Heath, but also a little pricey. Ingatestone is lovely but pricey. I would avoid basildon, laindon and canvey and also rayleigh if you commute by car.

Thank you all this is really helpful.

I think i've created a search on Rightmove based on the above but a few areas have come up that i'm not sure of.

Silver End? I'm feeling this probably isn't great as a very young colleague lives here and speaks about her neighbours smoking pot.
Hawkwell.
Eastwood - says it's Leigh on Sea?
Hutton - I've previously viewed houses in Hutton Mount (previous life!) and this looks quite a different area?
Heybridge
Hullbridge

Witham is an

Sorry should say Witham is another that has come up in the search - what's Witham like?