Moving to Harold Hill

Andrew_Ryan_89

Hey guys,

I posted a topic a few months back about me moving to Dagenham. That house fell through and we had an offer recently accepted on a place in Harold Hill. 15 minutes walk or 2 bus stops from Harold Wood station.

The road looks quiet, house in good condition and using the Police Crime Map, all crime there is "Average or Low or no crime".

We currently live in North West London and are looking East as that seems the last affordable place within the M25. The house we are getting is 2 bed rooms with a garden. For the price we offered, that would get us 1 bed room flat where we are now. We work in London and the travel is within the hour, the same if not quicker than where we are now.

Moving to a new area concerns come up. Romford and area around where we are looking to move typically have a bad reputation and last time we did visit we were put off by the "Chavs" and assumungy jobless people walking there dogs around.

But, we have little choice. Prices are rising fast than our savings. Just wanted to see if anyone can give me any insight into the area.

Many thanks

Conrad

I would personally much rather move to nice areas outside of the M25, living amongst hard and rough chavs has so many downsides especially when kids get to school age.
I have a particular dislike of South Essex chavs / wide boys - I am no shrinking violet (I have a bare knuckle martial arts contest coming up) but just hate being around them as they are always spoiling for trouble, are loud, don't value learning (geeky in'it) the whole culture is based around looking hard and being a bit bling and obvious.
Masses of wealth around Romford actually, but it's all a bit Pat Butcher.


My mate lived in the rough part of Loughton and hated it, always stress over parking disputes etc - chavvy types do not see reason, it's all about their 'rep'.

Even Ongar is not far out enough and still full of chavvy only way is Essex types.

I think I read Colchester and Chelmsford have good schools, but still a bit chavvy for me and I find the countryside there too flat and dull.

The best part is out near Jamie Oliver - near Newport / Saffron Walden - lovely Waitrose type people. Think I read that Herts / Essex border area routinely comes up as one of best places in Britain for schools / low crime etc.
Great Dunmow is also v nice but I still prefer the areas to the west of that.

Jamesjames

'' I would personally much rather move to nice areas outside of the M25, living amongst hard and rough chavs has so many downsides especially when kids get to school age''

Are you suggesting the people that currently live in Harold Hill are as you have described above?

The OP has decided to hunt for a house around where he has described and that is his choice and he alone understands why he wants to live within the M25 axis.

I wonder how suggesting he lives near Jamie Oliver area helps him?

Hmmmmm.

Conrad

Here's what the op said;


'Romford and area around where we are looking to move typically have a bad reputation and last time we did visit we were put off by the "Chavs" and assumungy jobless people walking there dogs around'.

The OP is inviting opinion, I gave mine, take it or leave it.
Of course not everyone is a bling, bling Essex boy in Harold Hill, but on balance the tone of people there for me swings too much in that direction.
At school you would get the 'hard' son of a roofing co owner, all muscles, pitbulls and fully loaded Range Rovers, whereas in another part of Essex you would get very middle class quiet Waitrose types where schooling, manners and discipline are what count, not looking hard and not being overstated in a bling sense, indeed in such areas it is cool and dignified to appear less well off than you are. An 8 yr old Volvo Estate instead of a blacked out R Rover.


I don't live there but I do live similarly 'far out' of London and most people commute into the city no problem. One of the best points about the shires proper, is the schooling.

hayday75

I know a few people who live in Harold Hill and no complaints.
I think the area close to Hilldene shops can be noisy.
Hope that helps.

POPPYOSCAR

Harold Hill is better than Dagenham IMO.


Like every area there are good and bad bits.

[Deleted User]

One of my best mates lives in Harold Wood, round the corner from Harold Hill; he likes it. I think it's also quite quick to get into town from there.

Have you ever thought about Aylesbury? There's a massive new housing development right by Aylesbury Vale Parkway station (1hr 8mins to London Marylebone) and you're in some nice bits of the countryside, with plenty of sub £300k houses about.

Get a 4 bed semi for £270k all brand new... https://www.taylorwimpey.co.uk/find-your-home/england/buckinghamshire/aylesbury/oasis--buckingham-park/tutsan

AndyBSG

As others have said, Harold Hill is fairly favorable compared to other options.

Dagenham is a really bad area, Romford slightly better and Harold Hill slightly better still.

To stay within the M25 with reasonable commuter links it's probably one of the better value for money areas you can find.

Also, it comes with the added benefit that once Cross Rail launches commuting from that area will be easier and should hopefully result in the area regenerating a bit and your house value going up.

scotty01

I lived in the area for a while. Hornchurch is a nice area, harold wood is also quite nice. Romford has it's bad areas and some better areas. Harold hill does have a not very nice reputation but again i'm sure it's just certain areas that are bad, including around the shops. Nowhere is all bad, there are decent people everywhere.

Andrew_Ryan_89

The property we are looking at, though the address says Harold Hill, it's only 2 stops away from Harold Wood Station and about a 15 minute walk. I like to think it's more Harold Wood than the Hill. We viewed a few places in Harold Hill and the area is not great at all with a lot of "Chavs" around.

Went to see the property (via train) again last week and the road was dead quiet. Most of the properties we passed looked to be worth at least £500k at the bottom end so I think this place is in a MUCH better area of Harold Hill.

Similar to where I live now. £million houses on one road but when you get closer to the station the place is a dump with openly active drug dealers, stabbings etc.

jayship

There are bad and good parts in Harold Hill. However Harold Wood is a lot better if you are only within walking distance of the station. Expect to pay slightly more