Hidden Essex

By the Beresfords Marketing Team - 29th April 2012

For those of you who already live in Essex, you know the charms and beauty of the county, but there are quite a few people who are just discovering the wealth of hidden gems Essex has to offer. With fast trains into the city of London, some of the country’s best schools, charming picture book villages and a new city - Chelmsford - you can see why Essex is growing in popularity.

Its new city status means that Chelmsford is growing in stature. The news that Waitrose and John Lewis with be launching large stores in the county’s capital has been welcomed and has helped boost enquiries for property in and around the city.

Villages across the county are a draw to families seeking their own piece of the countryside. As the largest independent estate agent in the county we cover some of the most sought after villages in Essex. Here you will find beautiful period homes many of which have substantial gardens and a great deal of history and character and are still well placed for commuting.

Writtle, described as ‘one of the loveliest villages in the country’, has been consistently popular with local buyers, as well as those moving from London. Its picturesque village green, complete with duck pond, church, shops, restaurants and local amenities, guarantee that properties in this quintessential English village are always in demand.

Families are also attracted by the outstanding range of state and independent schools in the county. Some of the best grammar schools including King Edward VI, Colchester County High for Girls or Colchester Royal Grammar compete with the high ranking independent schools such as Felsted School and Brentwood School.

We find that once people move to Essex, they tend to stay here. We constantly see commuters from the city wanting to escape to the country, “commute” up the train line, perhaps buying their first home near an underground station such as Upminster, and then slowly move further out as needs and priorities change.

It is this type of migration which gave us the idea to host our first Country and Prestige Property Exhibition at Grade I Listed Boreham House, near Chelmsford, on 27th May. We will be showcasing our finest properties alongside leading estate agents from throughout East Anglia. With plenty of entertainment arranged for the whole family, this is a great event for those who are looking to move to their perfect country retreat.

Many buyers considering a move to Essex are often surprised by how good the transport links are. Not only are there fast trains to Liverpool Street and Fenchurch Street and underground stations, but there are two airports, Stansted and Southend, within easy reach which can provide fast routes to Europe and beyond. The planned Crossrail link is set to improve connections further and we are also seeing interest from buyers in Shenfield which will be the first Crossrail station.

As our home county we are obviously sold on Essex and while we would like to keep some of it a well preserved secret, we are very happy to showcase the county’s finest properties.