Places to live in Essex: Best commuter towns and villages
The county of Essex is located to the east of London and the excellent transport connections allow Essex residents to easily travel in and out of the capital.
Essex offers commuters travel times to Liverpool Street that in many instances are shorter that many locations within London itself making it a popular place to live with those who work in the city.
Whilst a short commute time is a huge benefit when looking for a home it’s also important to find yourself living in an area that is enjoyable when you’re not at work. Here are some of the top commuter towns and villages and what makes them such appealing places to live in Essex.
Property for sale in Chelmsford
Chelmsford is an exceptionally popular place to live in Essex and with the commute time from Chelmsford into Liverpool Street station taking around 35 minutes it’s of little surprise that many of those buying property in Chelmsford work in London.
In terms of property for sale in Chelmsford buyers will find a wide selection of varying property types and ages. For those seeking a modern apartment there are several new developments not far from the station and city centre.
Those seeking a family house will unlikely find the space they are looking for in the centre of Chelmsford and instead should consider suburbs such as Springfield or Broomfield.
Families are drawn to Chelmsford for the excellent schooling options which include several impressive independent preparatory schools, two highly regarded grammar schools, many excellent state run schools and well known independent school, New Hall. To the northeast of the city renowned Felsted school is only 12 miles away.
Villages near Chelmsford
House hunters looking for property just outside of town have several villages to consider around Chelmsford such as Little Baddow, Writtle and The Waltham’s.
The desirable village of Little Baddow is located at the heart of the Chelmer Valley conservation area. The village is home to the Elm Green school, which is a popular preparatory school. Little Baddow also has two public houses, two churches and a village hall along with a sports ground which is home to the local cricket club.
Writtle is a pretty village to the west of Chelmsford, it has a traditional village green complete with duck pond, along it a good array of shops including a butcher, delicatessen and post office there are also country pubs and schooling for all ages. The village is also home to Writtle college which is one of the largest and oldest agricultural colleges in the country.
Homes in Ingatestone
Located between Chelmsford and Brentwood, along the A12 main road, the village of Ingatestone is a desirable place to live in Essex.
The train journey from Ingatestone into London Liverpool street takes around half an hour making it an attractive prospect for commuters. When Crossrail opens in the not too distant future Ingatestone station will only be one stop from Shenfield which is located on the new rail line meaning transport connections to this village are only set to improve.
Ingatestone has an impressive high street with a large selection of amenities on offer, there is also a strong sense of community with several sporting clubs in the village such as the tennis and cricket clubs.
Property for sale in Ingatestone ranges from large period homes, to small village centre cottages along with more modern built properties set on quiet cul-de-sacs. House hunters also often consider the neighbouring, smaller villages of Fryerning or Stock, which are highly sought after Essex villages.
Property in these villages ranges from stunning period homes to newly built properties. Whilst each has their own amenities, residents benefit from the nearby station and wider amenities found in Ingatestone.
Houses for sale Brentwood
On the cusp of East London, Brentwood is a popular place to live, the train from Brentwood station into Liverpool Street takes around 40 minutes. Many residents choose instead to travel to Shenfield and take a faster train which takes a little over 20 minutes into London Liverpool Street. Shenfield will also shortly be benefiting from the arrival of Crossrail which will offer residents in the area even easier access to all of London.
Hutton Mount is the most exclusive place to live in Brentwood with the most prestigious properties here often being sold off market. In terms of types of houses for sale in Brentwood buyers will find many differing types of property from detached, secluded luxurious modern homes to stunning period properties.
Essex property finders
If you’re looking for a place to live in Essex, our team of local experts would be delighted to assist with your search. Our professional property finders have many years’ experience sourcing and acquiring property across all of Essex and have built a network of industry contacts which allows our private clients access to the most exclusive opportunities.
For a no obligation discussion regarding your property requirements and our services please contact us.