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Chelmsford or Brentwood

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  • lady1964
    lady1964 Posts: 955 Forumite
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    hazyjo wrote: »



    I would also throw Bishops Stortford (good schools), Sawbridgeworth and Hertford into the mix (and possibly Ware or Stansted Mountfitchet). Don't know about schools in all though.


    I'm in North Chingford which is also nice and you might want to consider it, although maybe a bit more London than some of the others, although you do have Epping Forest on your doorstep and Connaught Waters (massive lake) if you're quite outdoorsy.


    I'm moving to Leigh-on-Sea (C2C line) this/next year. £3,232 a year to Fenchurch Street. I want to be by the sea, and it's a lovely town.


    Jx

    I live sort of between Chelmsford and Stortford but closer to Sawbridgeworth. I would move to Sawbridgeworth if I could but there is only one secondary schools there, which is decent, otherwise, it's go to Harlow or Stortford, Stortford secondary schools have a better reputation than Harlow ones & a school in Stansted Mountfitchet is taking the overspill of students from a Harlow school that's over-subscribed. Stortford is close to Stansted airport so depending on where the house is/flight path, it may be noisy.

    I don't know enough about Hertford but there's a nice little high street with nice bars/eateries. I'm same with Ware, I don't know anything about the area.
  • hazyjo
    hazyjo Posts: 15,470 Forumite
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    lady1964 wrote: »
    I live sort of between Chelmsford and Stortford but closer to Sawbridgeworth. I would move to Sawbridgeworth if I could but there is only one secondary schools there, which is decent, otherwise, it's go to Harlow or Stortford, Stortford secondary schools have a better reputation than Harlow ones & a school in Stansted Mountfitchet is taking the overspill of students from a Harlow school that's over-subscribed. Stortford is close to Stansted airport so depending on where the house is/flight path, it may be noisy.

    I don't know enough about Hertford but there's a nice little high street with nice bars/eateries. I'm same with Ware, I don't know anything about the area.





    Thanks - some additional helpful info!


    To add... Leigh on Sea came out as the happiest place to live on a Rightmove survey this year (yay!), and Hertford was 4th (I think)! It's got very pricey over the years. I viewed several properties there. It's got a nice feel. Theatre, some historical interest, river, shops, bars/pubs... yeah, nice place.


    Stanstead Abbots was very pretty too although the trains aren't great.


    If worrying about flight path noise, avoid Sawbridgeworth. It's prob the worst one. Wouldn't bother me.


    Jx
    2023 wins: *must start comping again!*
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 0 Newbie
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    Sounds like you've more recent experience than me HazyJo (and of other Essex options as well). I recall the Shenfield change meant squished up standing (at the time I went in), though the slow train was slow, I was more comfy that way.

    I still have family in the area, it seems to be engineering works on that line every single time I want to go out on a weekend!
  • AndyBSG
    AndyBSG Posts: 986 Forumite
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    Cherry_Gale wrote: »
    I still have family in the area, it seems to be engineering works on that line every single time I want to go out on a weekend!

    Pretty much and rumours are that it will continue all the way up to Christmas... Very frustrating if you're a football season ticket holder who uses the rain every other weekend to get to and from games!
  • Kynthia
    Kynthia Posts: 5,668 Forumite
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    Brentwood is nice but tge station is tiny and only has slow trains. Commuting from Shenfield us better but house prices reflect that. As others have said the C2c line is much better and I know people that commute on that and then walk from Fenchurch St to Liverpool st rather than commute straight to Liverpool St, or if Liverpool St isn't your final destination you get a tube from Tower Hill which is virtually next door to Fenchurch St.

    Upminster, Cranham and Hornchurch are all good and within the zones fir better travel prices. Or head out from there to places like Leigh on Sea. I'm afraid I don't know Chelmsford.
    Don't listen to me, I'm no expert!
  • ClaretHead
    ClaretHead Posts: 48 Forumite
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    Crossrail will be coming to Brentwood and Shenfield in 2019. Some of the current weekend disruptions are down to Crossrail works

    Crossrail will mean that you have 8 trains per hour through Whitechapel to Paddington in the morning peak. A lot of people think that it will boost house prices in areas with easy access to the line. So, if you are looking to be there for the long term, it would make sense to aim for Brentwood or Shenfield.
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