Where to live, east of London? Help!

[bowbluebell]

Hello!

We are looking to move to a family home east of London. At the moment I'm living with my one year old in our tiny cottage in Norfolk and DH is staying in our tiny flat in Bow and visiting at the weekends...it's a logistical nightmare!

We'd prefer a village or small town not more than a hour on the train into Liverpool Streetand would like to be able to walk to the station. We would be looking to rent at first and can't afford much more than £1000 pcm.

Can anyone suggest a nice spot for our family to reunite to?

Many thanks

I live in Loughton, it is Essex but it is 40 mins from Liverpool St on the Central line, trains every 2 mins.
Really nice town, lots of cafes, small shops, restaurants, decent schools (many private), nature reserve etc.
Our house is a small 3 bed 10 mins walk from the station/town.
I love it here. Also look at surrounding areas Buckhurst Hill and Woodford, very nice too and also on the central line.
HTH

You should definately live in my flat in Grays!! It is on the river, within walking distance of the train station into Fenchurch Street (not far from Liverpool Street!!)

Don't let the fact that it is only a one bedroom flat put you off, it is rentable at the moment and will be for sale later in the year!!!

Loughton is a very nice area too btw!

Wanstead, on the tube (2 stations) , good community, coffee shops, library. Is in London, but near Epping Forest (Loughton nearer}. I grew up there and am presently 10 mins away in South Woodford, which also has tube, high steet with Sainsburys, M and S food and v good charity shops

Another vote for Wanstead/So Woodford/Woodford Green/Buckhurst Hill/Loughton. Great area for families -loads going on. Redbridge just came 4th out of all London boroughs for schools - good for both private and state. Excellent transport into 'town'. Leafy. Still affordable!

Yup, I'd say Wanstead/South Woodford too though I live in far-less posh Newham which I love. (Far cheaper than Redbridge too).

Redbridge has very good schools. Very accessible.

Good luck

Thanks for your thoughts ladies. All your suggestions sound good, especially as all seem like family areas. Am tempted by Epping as I love the forest, but it seems pretty expensive and poor DH would have to go into work on the central line at peak times. May look a little further out on a train line. Anyone familiar with Ingatestone, Shenfield and the like??

Anyone live in a lovely, affordable village with a mainline service to Liverpool Street or is that really wishful thinking??

My friend lived in Stansted Mountfitchet for a few years. It seems like a really nice place, surrounded by very pretty countryside, with a direct line to Liverpool Street. Just down the road, Elsenham, Ugley, Ugley Green and Maggots End (no kidding!) are - despite their names - really pretty!

It's near Stansted airport - but the planes don't fly directly over, so contrary to what you'd expect, you hardly notice them.

You'd need to check what's happening with the extension though.

I grew up in Sawbridgeworth, which is a small town with nice villagey feel 40mins from Liverpool Street. Good schools there, bit of countryside around but by no means isolated. It's also close to Stansted airport which is a bonus. I don't know what rental prices are like but I'm pretty sure you'll find something decent within your budget.