A Guide to Living in Essex

Essex is a county in the East of England and is one of the most populous counties in the country. It has a population of 1.4 million people, making it an attractive place for prospective home buyers to invest their money and enjoy all that Essex has to offer. Below we’ll take a look at what you should know about Essex before deciding where to put down roots!

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Best places to live in Essex

HomeViews Top Rated Development ranking takes into account the Star Rating and HomeViews Transparency Rating of every development in the area

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Where is Essex?

The county of Essex is located to the East of London. It borders Suffolk and Cambridgeshire in the South West, Hertfordshire in the North West and Kent along its Northern border.

Areas in Essex

The county contains many different types of areas – some are large towns while others are smaller villages or rural communities that offer peace and quiet away from city life.

Some popular places include:

Chelmsford – The county’s largest town and its administrative centre, Chelmsford is a vibrant and growing community with excellent schools, shopping and leisure facilities.

Basildon – Located in the East of Essex, Basildon is one of the county’s fastest-growing towns thanks to its convenient location and modern amenities. With transport links to London and the coastal resorts, Basildon is a great place for commuters to live.

Southend-on-Sea – With its beautiful seafront location on the Thames Estuary, Southend is popular with Londoners looking to move out of city life but still want quick access via train or road.

Colchester – Situated in the North of Essex, Colchester is a historic town with plenty to see and do. With two universities and an abundance of shops, bars and restaurants, it’s no wonder Colchester is one of the county’s most popular places to live.

Clacton-on-Sea – A seaside resort on the coast, Clacton is a popular choice for holidaymakers and those looking to retire because of the proximity to the coast and countryside.

Universities in Essex

Essex is home to a few universities which draw students from all over the country – these include:

The University of Essex – With over 13,000 students and nearly 600 international ones, the University of Essex is a popular choice for those looking to study in an informal environment and specialises in social sciences.

The University of Essex is located on the outskirts of Colchester which has a vibrant social scene with plenty to do for students.

Writtle University College – Located in Chelmsford, Writtle is the only agricultural university in Essex and offers courses such as land management, forestry and agriculture.

The Colchester Institute – a popular choice for students looking to study in the creative industry, the Colchester Institute offers courses in fashion, design, marketing and more.

Top Schools in Essex

There are many good schools in Essex catering for children of all ages. In addition to state schools, there are also many prestigious private schools located throughout the county.

Some of the standout institutions include:

King Edward VI Grammar School for Boys – a top independent school that is part of a network of more than 30 King Edwards throughout the country, this grammar school has been established since 1551

The Thurstable School – recognised by The Good Schools Guide as one of the best state schools in England, this selective boys’ school is less than 8 miles south of Colchester.

Colchester County High School for Girls – Another top state school, this selective girls’ grammar boasts high academic standards and impressive examination results.

Population of Essex

The population of Essex was estimated at just under two million people as of 2016. This number is expected to grow steadily over the next few years making now a great time for prospective homeowners to consider buying property in the area.

Featured developments in Essex

Reviews in Essex

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Perfect location, friendly management team, A* experience!

Verified Resident

Review Date May 2024

Chelmsford is a great area to live commercially and community wise, and seems to be getting even better due to development.

Please review your development:

The designs of the buildings at East Quay are lovely, the location couldn’t be better either, Rivers on either side and some lovely walks down towards Chelmer Village through the fields and towards the back of the Fox and Raven.

The property management in our flat bloke has been exemplary, very friendly and all too happy to help. There are a couple of issues with the flats due to design flaws but they are being sorted and the properties themselves are a joy to live in. I can’t fault them!

The management team here in Katie and Susan have been a pleasure to deal with and they are always ready to assist. They are a credit to the company.

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

Make sure you look into parking as it can be a nightmare if you don’t have a space you pay for. There are spaces pip up occasionally when others move out but obviously not endless amounts of land to provide a space for everyone living in the developments.

How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:

The management team ALWAYS assist when needed and I haven’t had a single issue with them.

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Nice Development

Review Date Apr 2024

Not easy commute to the train station, nice green spaces. There was no bus station close to the building.

Please review your development:

A nice development with descent common spaces. The Recycle room is very important. A very nice kitchen and spacious rooms. The ground floor has common spaces you can use which is very usefull for working or relaxing or have a cup of coffee. The Parking is an issue.

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

More about the city and activities and leisure, commuting to the city center or to london

How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:

There was no problem, you can send an email and have a prompt response.

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Overall very clean and presentable

Verified Resident

Review Date Apr 2024

Conveniently placed and near to town and the station. Close to a selection of shops and coffee shops

Please review your development:

Overall very clean and presentable. It’s also very quiet with minimal noise in the area and from surrounding residents. Residents have been lovely and social. Clean and practice apartment layouts which are fully functional. Had a slight hiccup with the WiFi but was quickly resolved

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

It would have been good to know pets require vaccinations and insurance earlier in the process. Being told after the tendency agreement was passed over was a minor hiccup.

How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:

Very easy to contact and very helpful. Check-ins post move are a nice touch

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Amazing!!

Verified Resident

Review Date Apr 2024

A quick 10-15 minutes walk into town for shops, restaurants, bars and transport links too. A temp parking spot was available when we moved in and within a few days we had a permanent spot outside our flat front door, all sorted by the team. Bin storage is really big, with different bins for various methods of recycling and the collection is very regular too. No anit social behaviour, it’s all very quiet here and we don’t hear much traffic other than the occasional car driving by. So far amazing!!

Please review your development:

The flat is amazing, really spacious and we have an amazing balcony too with a good view. Property management team (Susan, Katie and Amanda) are amazing too, all very friendly and keen to help with any questions or issues that may arise. Great place to live! There’s communal games room, a work from home room and a private dinning area available to book too! Also pet friendly too! We yet to have a dog, but we look forward to having our own someday.

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

Nothing to note here, all very transparent from the beginning.

How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:

Really friendly staff throughout the experience. Susan, Katie and Amanda have all been very helpful, kind and friendly during the application and during our first week in the flat too. Absolutely amazing!

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