Nice areas to live in Essex?

Scattycaz

Hi, I live in canvey island and need to move. I need advice.....please.....I need a house near a station into London which doesn't cost the earth in travel fees, less than £115 per week. Plus our budget for a 4 bed house is £250,000. Anywhere nice in Essex, LOVED Ashford but travel is £130.50 per week! Yikes! Love Brentwood but again hit a wall as the houses are very expensive...

Kynthia

Where is it you need to commute too?

I want to move to Upminster but can't afford it. The commute is good from there, with a park, shops and nice restaurants. So I'm looking in Hornchurch and Upminster Bridge, but staying away from Elm Park which is just below Hornchurch tube station. Gidea Park and Harold Wood are also nice, but on a different train line into London than Upminster. Harold Wood is the stop next to Brentwood, but because it is in the TFL zones I think the travel into London is cheaper.

Enfieldian

Nice part of Essex?

Sure, the bit to the North called Cambridgeshire.

(Only joking!)

GDB2222

Scattycaz wrote: »

Hi, I live in canvey island and need to move. I need advice.....please.....I need a house near a station into London which doesn't cost the earth in travel fees, less than £115 per week. Plus our budget for a 4 bed house is £250,000. Anywhere nice in Essex, LOVED Ashford but travel is £130.50 per week! Yikes! Love Brentwood but again hit a wall as the houses are very expensive...

I'm slightly surprised that the deal breaker for Ashford is £15 a week in travel costs. I am sure you realise that you can save at least that amount by buying an annual ticket rather than a weekly one?

It may help to think in terms of commute costs combined with mortgage costs. For example, the most expensive TFL season ticket is £60 per week. That would release an extra £55 a week to pay mortgage costs, which might support £60k of mortgage (or more, depending on the deal), which in turn might give you the money to buy within TFL zone 9......

hazyjo

I'm in Brentwood - although just about to move out of the area to go to North Chingford.

This is on the old Limes Farm Estate near Grange Hill - not so estatey now, and I think fairly popular. Think a lot was local authority, although it doesn't look it.

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-39310577.html

This in Leigh-on-Sea looks okay, although personally I would choose to be south of London Road. Much pricier that side though!

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-30503002.html

I'd also consider Colchester for that budget.

Braintree too (haven't checked ticket prices for there): http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-37506277.html

Have heard Witham mentioned a few times on here so you might want to do a site search. I went there once and wasn't that impressed, but it was quaint and seemed nice enough, just a little 'tired' - and it doesn't look to have faired so well through the recession, although when things pick up, it might be a good place to have bought in.

A few mentions for Basildon on here recently too.

Good luck.

Jx

Scattycaz

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply to me. Kynthia, my husband commutes to central london, at the moment its Charing Cross but he moves all around depending on the work.
I agree with you GDB2222 I was thinking that last night when I couldn't get a wink of sleep! I said the same thing to my hubby, I would much rather have to pay extra on travel if it means a nicer house close to a station rather than pay more on a mortgage for a house that's maybe not as nice but more just because of the postcode, even if its cheaper for travel. I suppose it's just about weighing up the pros and cons. hazyjo good luck with your move. I would love to go to Brentwood maybe we can swap lol.

hazyjo

Scattycaz wrote: »

hazyjo good luck with your move. I would love to go to Brentwood maybe we can swap lol.

Thanks. To be honest, I can't wait to leave it! Too much 'white powder' in the pubs I go to (not the trendy bars!), and I've never known so many alcoholics/drinkers in my life!

The train service is also one of the worst I've been on. Often delays.

One thing, don't presume fares are more expensive the futher out you go. Was much cheaper to travel from Leigh-on-Sea than say Billericay. Different train lines differ a lot in price.

Jx

Kynthia

With commuting to London, particularly Charing Cross, I would recommend living along the C2C and district lines. If you find the right house along the Romford/Brentwood line then I wouldn't tell you not to live there but it's not as reliable and convenient.

If you want to stay within the London transport zones, what many people do is get the bus or walk to Upminster station, catch the train to Fenchurch St (25mins), change to the district line to Embankment. Or if they live near a district line station they get on there and if they want to save time, change at Barking for the C2C and back to the district line at Fenchurch St/Tower Hill. I'm hoping to find a house near Hornchurch station or in Cranham were I can easily catch a bus to Upminster station.