Nice Area to Live in Southend with good schools??

[assadahmed]

So I am currently living in Buckhurst Hill but need to move to something larger with a growing family. Looking in and around where I currently live, 500k doesn't really get you anything decent as you truly are paying for the location.

I have been speaking to my wife about perhaps moving somewhere like Southend. The commute to my office in North London wont be too bad and from what I can see, 500k can secure a much nicer property. However, I would want to stay in the catchment area of goods schools.

So to sum it up, which are the nicer parts of Southend, with good schools, where I can buy a nice place for 500k???

Any input would be much appreciated.

[pincher]

How old are the kids?

[assadahmed]

pincher said:

How old are the kids?

5 and 1.

[sicourt]

Best areas are probably Leigh-on-Sea, Thorpe Bay and Chalkwell (the nicer bit of Westcliff-on-Sea.) Generally the further south (closer to the sea/estuary) the more desirable and pricey the property. Southend still has grammar schools all of which are highly regarded. Hadleigh (just west of Leigh on Sea) is pretty nice in parts too.

[pincher]

Was going to suggest Leigh too (no bias here! ), or Chalkwell.

Even in these areas, you need to be in the 'right' part for school catchment-area purposes.

Do you want 3 or 4 bed? I'll have a shufty on Rightmove later and PM you some links.

[Grey Ghost]

This will give you an idea of what c£500K can get you around Southend and is within the catchment area of Westleigh Schools.

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

Hopefully Pincher above will drag out a few more later for you as he is a resident locally to here and knows the schools better than me as he has kids. However, I am told that Westleigh is a good school and the house and school could at least offer you a baseline to work from.

[assadahmed]

Thanks for the info chaps. I also had a good look on Zoopla last night and it does seem to be the case that I will have to check each individual property to ensure that is closest to the right school. However, from what I have seen the houses seem very nice and far better than what I can get where I currently am.

If anyone out there travels into London, how long is train journey into Barking. My office is in Tottenham so I can jump on a train at Barking which can get me into South Tottenham. Google maps tells me its about a 40 min journey to Barking but a friend of mine states the fast train takes 20mins???

Need to sell my current place around March time and then can start looking property. Obviously a garage is a must!

[Grey Ghost]

assadahmed said:

If anyone out there travels into London, how long is train journey into Barking. My office is in Tottenham so I can jump on a train at Barking which can get me into South Tottenham. Google maps tells me its about a 40 min journey to Barking but a friend of mine states the fast train takes 20mins???

From Leigh on Sea to Barking is currently 25-35 minutes depending on the stopping pattern on each train. However, in December this year C2C is introducing a new timetable and was planning to make all trains stop at all stations between Barking and Fenchurch Street. As such you may be able to get on one of the current fast trains that stop at Benfleet (next stop) and then are fast into Fenchurch Street. It maybe that the fast trains will still do Leigh and Benfleet and then run fast to Barking, in which case the journey time could be down to 20 minutes or less

http://www.c2c-online.co.uk/travel-information/tim...

[rubystone]

What's 'South Tottenham?' If Tottenham Hale is near your office, take a look at the Lea Valley corridor. Having to change trains is just not as easy as you'd think it was.

[assadahmed]

Yeah Tottenham Hale is not far from my office and the Lea Valley area I have considered but find Southend a bit more appealing in the sense that for the same price the quality of housing stock is better.

[rubystone]

assadahmed said:

Yeah Tottenham Hale is not far from my office and the Lea Valley area I have considered but find Southend a bit more appealing in the sense that for the same price the quality of housing stock is better.

You'll discover that the nicer parts of Southend are not in Southend. A bit like comparing Walthamstow to South Woodford or Broxbourne to Hoddesdon.

And the travel from Southend into Lomdon, unless you're in The Wharf or City is a pain too. As you'll find out if you move there....

I'd say that a decent place in Leigh on Sea or Thorpe Bay is on a par with a decent place in Broxbourne or Stortford.

[Harby74]

Benfleet is nice and you aren't trapped in by the A127, has some good schools including catchment to a grammar school, lived here for 10 years now, however I commute into London by m/bike as the public transport option for me is a pain at the other end.

[pincher]

Forgot about this!

I'd agree with the comment that getting anywhere other than the City or Wharf is a bit of a PITA - is a touch better these days, what with the links from West Ham. But still a bit of a ball ache.

I just had a look on Rightmove at the catchment area for Westleigh (traditionally one of the best Infant & Junior schools in the area) and was shocked to see so few house up for sale. £500k will get you a pretty good 3-bed semi or 4-bed chalet but add on at least another £150k(ish) to make the jump to 4-bed semi, with a half decent interior e.g. http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prope...

[assadahmed]

I realise Its not easy to find a place which ticks all the boxes. I will have to compromise but for me the priority is good schools, followed by a decent house for the money. Being my own boss means I don't have to travel during the rush hours which is why I am likely not to be put off by the commute.

There is certainly a lack of housing stock thats for sure. Just gonna wait until next year when I am ready and see what I end up doing!

[Medic-one]

If you found something in Southend but aren't sure about the area feel free to message me and i can give you my input.

I've lived in Southend nearly 10 years now, but also work here, and my job litterly gets me everywhere, from the big mansions in the posh neighbour to the nasty high-crime area's.

When we were looking to buy our current house i was online looking at places and found a few nice ones but then i looked at the area and/or google maps and i'd be like "no, i've done a few stabbings there, or loads of drug related calls in that road" and didn't even bother viewing some of the properties we shortlisted, purely on my experiences i've had in/around the streets they were in.

[assadahmed]

Medic-one said:

If you found something in Southend but aren't sure about the area feel free to message me and i can give you my input.

I've lived in Southend nearly 10 years now, but also work here, and my job litterly gets me everywhere, from the big mansions in the posh neighbour to the nasty high-crime area's.

When we were looking to buy our current house i was online looking at places and found a few nice ones but then i looked at the area and/or google maps and i'd be like "no, i've done a few stabbings there, or loads of drug related calls in that road" and didn't even bother viewing some of the properties we shortlisted, purely on my experiences i've had in/around the streets they were in.

Thanks for that. I'm still very much in the earlier stages as I need to sell my place early next year. Once done I will start looking in more detail. Expect some emails from me next year!!

[PaulKemp]

I'll throw a curved ball
Chelmsford now a City
Easy to get to London by train or straight down the M11 and through Docklands I used to do both as worked and had parking in Westminster
Loads of new building going on North Chelmsford some good schools private and state
Only place I can think of to avoid is Melbourne but again ½ mile away and it's pretty good
And your only a few miles from true countryside

[rubystone]

PaulKemp said:

I'll throw a curved ball
Chelmsford now a City
Easy to get to London by train or straight down the M11 and through Docklands I used to do both as worked and had parking in Westminster
Loads of new building going on North Chelmsford some good schools private and state
Only place I can think of to avoid is Melbourne but again ½ mile away and it's pretty good
And your only a few miles from true countryside

The sensible money would be on the Beaulieu side. I'm sure that with the Channels development. They HAVE to build that halt at Springfield. The issue with the town is the pressure on the railway station and rush-hour traffic round the town. It's dreadful. I left there in the mid '80s because the pressure on services was becoming a major issue. Newlands Spring is next to Melbourne and there is a number of new developments there too. So the area isn't too bad any more outside of the area around the flats.

[assadahmed]

rubystone said:

The sensible money would be on the Beaulieu side. I'm sure that with the Channels development. They HAVE to build that halt at Springfield. The issue with the town is the pressure on the railway station and rush-hour traffic round the town. It's dreadful. I left there in the mid '80s because the pressure on services was becoming a major issue. Newlands Spring is next to Melbourne and there is a number of new developments there too. So the area isn't too bad any more outside of the area around the flats.

Wife and I have now decided that Sawbridgeworth or B. Stortford is a better idea for us.

[rubystone]

assadahmed said:

Wife and I have now decided that Sawbridgeworth or B. Stortford is a better idea for us.

I live in that area. Rush hour traffic can make Sawbo miserable and don't buy a house on the B1184 itself. You have to be aware of the flight path for the airport. Stortford has more housing stock- much bigger than Sawbo.

And I can show you some of the best roads you could ever drive your Seven on!