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!

4.59

Average Location Score

Excellent

67%

Very Good

28%

Average

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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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Was lovely at the start, then some cracks started to appear. But all in all East Quay was very good to us.

Verified Resident

Review Date Oct 2023

Me and my partner have been living here for 11 months and when we first moved in we were very excited. The positives of living here is you’re a walk away from town and Tesco/ Iceland. You’re away from the busy noise of the streets with a wonderful view depending on what building you live in. You have a communal work space and games room and a small park to sit. East Quay building had rarely other problems like Barge house and Willow place so be mindful when picking. The parking is quite pricey, as residents I think you should get a car space free or pay half price for the first year of tenancy agreement. If you have friends who drive theirs literally nowhere to park for them which means they are at risk of a fine. Do make sure your car permit is displayed at all times, even though you have a designated spot without clear visual of your permit you can still get a ticket.

Please review your development:

For me OneCanalside is definitely somewhere you should invest in if you’re looking to rent and somewhere close enough to town but away from the noise. The flat itself has lovely features and styles in the flat. The look of the development is good with parcel rooms and bin rooms. As the months went by the service from the maintenance team got worse. I had a situation where a maintenance member lied and I had to show proof on email. Sometimes you don’t get a response back, sometimes you call and theirs no answer. It can be tough if you have to go to work everyday as you won’t get a chance to see them in person because they start at 9am and finish at 4pm. This may not be a problem for those who work from home. For me I feel the management team can do much more and show the urge to want to help us residents. Also the manager is hardly there and has never responded to any email that’s been sent.

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

Management staff. Started off well then dipped. We were told pizza & movie night every fortnight and we didn’t see it once.

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

Not straight away, I had to do the legwork myself. Your more or less forgotten about and when you query them it’s like a reminder for them to chase as they forgot.

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Good overall but some practical considerations was could have been better

Verified Resident

Review Date Oct 2023

The development is tucked away from the busy highstreet and offer tranquility, balanced with easy walking distance to shops and underground, and enough footfall to deter anti social behaviour.
There is a problem with school traffic in the morning and afternoon when it is gridlock. There should also be a bit more street light along the walking paths to make it safer to walk.

Please review your development:

The internal design has been completed to a high level of standard with fixture and fitting of high quality. Layout is well thought through and space is generous.

There is one thing I pray will change in the UK, and that is the garden. A foot of topsoil is not enough. I would have liked to see minimum 3 feet of proper soil for more long term effective planting. The lawn is waterlogged, and only with the help of heavy machinery will it be possible to remove building material, clay and other debris under the surface.

Regarding plumbing, I would always insist on some sort of easy access to toilet cistern. It might look good with hidden cisterns but it is not practical when limescale is causing valves, floats etc to freeze.

And for bathrooms in general. A rubber membrane on the floor to protect downstairs ceilings from water damage would also be an improvement.

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

I would have like to have a professional snag list person with me on moving in. An inexperienced person tend to look at the cosmetic rather than the structural integrity.

What is the best feature of your home:

It is very energy effecient. The air vent system ensures that the property is fully ventilated at all times.

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Manager Response

We wanted to express our sincere thanks for your recent review. Your feedback means a lot to us, and we’re thrilled you are enjoying your new home!

Parking has been an issue due to lack of driveways

Verified Resident

Review Date Oct 2023

The Arboretum development is in an excellent location, Epping is a great location close to key motorways and underground but also retains the village feel. It has an excellent High Street and close to many open parks and obviously the forest.
Living on the development has been great, neighbours are friendly and there seems to be a good level of neighbour support. On the negative side we have had issues with anti-social behaviour from the shared ownership houses on one side of the development. In fact there is a large difference between living on the privately owned house side of the development to the L&Q and shared ownership side.
Parking has been an issue due to lack of driveways (many of the houses have shared driveways) and also some people (not from the development) are parking there cars and walking to the station (maybe we need a permit parking solution?).

Please review your development:

The actual design of the Arboretum development is rather unique and has been built to a high standard. Ideally the gardens would have been larger and also private driveways (not shared), especially seeing the houses are now worth £1m+.
The site is well maintained and has a pretty appearance when driving in to the development. The only negative is that during school days we have many parents dropping and picking kids up in the morning and afternoon. This is blocking drives, pathways and is a hazard which needs to be looked at.

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

Ability to walk out of my door and within a minute or so there is green open space, ideal for walks / kids

What is the best feature of your home:

I have recently extended my property and now has an open plan downstairs area looking onto my garden (which is one of the very few not overlooked)

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Manager Response

We value your review, and we appreciate the insights and perspectives you’ve shared. Your feedback is important to us, and we will carefully consider it moving forward.

Great but a lot of the failures by Higgins and the council needs addressing

Verified Resident

Review Date Oct 2023

Great area to live in except the local school children who trash the estate with rubbish and ruin the horticulture when playing and trampling over the gardens. The council housing residents seem to neglect their properties and I regularly have seen a police presence in the area.

Please review your development:

Lint have been terrible. Some of the design issues Higgins have failed on such as when there is a power cut the pump motors needs a manual reset costing hundreds for a call out and hours spent without water – why should we pick up the mess when Higgins have failed in their planning and design?

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

Issues with the pump failing the access control closed protocol system which is very expensive to maintain lint are horrendous

What is the best feature of your home:

The location the gardens and the brickwork the estate is very nicely built

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Manager Response

We appreciate the time you took to share your review. Your feedback is crucial in our continuous endeavors to improve customer satisfaction. Should you ever encounter any concerns with property management that leave you dissatisfied, please feel free to contact your managing agents.