Living in Braintree – A Complete Moving Guide

Are you thinking of living in Braintree?

This North Essex town is a great spot for commuters living in the Essex area.

Living in Braintree ensures residents benefit from a combination of affordable properties, superb transport links to the capital and well-priced rail costs.

Braintree offers locals superb transport connections to surrounding towns and the capital.

The local train line conveniently runs services to London Liverpool Street in under 40 minutes, meaning quick and easy access to the capital!

Alongside excellent links to the capital, living in Braintree also offers residents an ideal rural location.

Living in Braintree provides residents with great access to the stunning Essex countryside.

Relocating to a new area is never simple.

Prior to starting your move, it is important to obtain as much information about an area as you can.

If you are thinking of living in Braintree, this is the perfect article for you!

We hope to provide you with some great tips, ideal for those looking to move to the area.

Covering everything from property prices to the best schools in the area, we hope to provide you with a thorough guide to the area.

If you are thinking of living in Braintree, this is our complete moving guide to the Essex town.

House Prices in Braintree

When you are looking to relocate to another area it pays to do some research into the cost of purchasing a home in the area, it will most certainly affect where you choose to put down roots.

The price of a home will be affected by multiple factors such as the obvious, size. Plus, do you want to reside close to the centre of town or are you looking for something a little less busy.

Braintree’s property portfolio is varied, so most people should be able to find their perfect home here.

There are 160 homes for sale across the town selling at an average cost of £335,353. Although this average figure is higher than the National average, there are cheaper options available.

One bed starter flat’s sell from £100,000, so getting on the property ladder is achievable.

Two-bedroom homes costing from £160,000 are the most plentiful taking up a third of the available stock with four-bedroom properties selling from £325,000, also in good supply.

Popular neighbourhoods include homes situated along Churchers Lane and Duggers Lane and these homes are gaining the most on-line views currently.

The property market in Braintree is a busy one and homes tend to sell fast. Plus, values have risen by almost 13% over the last 5 years so you need to move quickly.

Cost of Living in Braintree

It doesn’t matter where you choose to reside in the UK, the cost of living affects us all.

The good news is that even if you choose to move to an area with a higher cost of living rating, as long as you are on top of your finances you need not worry over duly.

Trying to figure out how to survive on a budget is one of most challenging things you can do.

But also one of the most rewarding.

The following are a few suggestions you might want to try to offset the cost of living in Braintree:

As a home is generally our biggest purchase, it is best not to stretch your budget to the max as interest rates go up and down and you need a little wiggle room.

Braintree has some really nice areas which offer value for money so doing your research beforehand is advisable, so you get the best deal possible.

Some people say that the trade-off for a lower cost of living involves giving up some aspects of life that you enjoy. Not so. Small changes can make a big difference without compromising on fun.

Go to attractions which don’t charge an entry fee.

Eat out at lower end restaurants, check out Tripadvisors web site. They rate restaurants, pubs, and local cafes on both the cost of a meal and the quality.

Get outside and opt for making the most out of some of the great open spaces Braintree has locally. Great Notley Park, Braintree & Bocking Public Gardens and Braintree Nature Reserve are all free and offer plenty of green areas to enjoy.

Children will love Braintree skate park and Meadowside skate park. Both are purpose-built tracks with all sorts of twists and turns ideal for skate boarders and totally free to use.

Moving to an area with a higher cost of living doesn’t have to be intimidating or overwhelming. With some preparation and clever ideas, you will be really surprised at how much you can save without compromising on enjoyment.

Transport Links

Public transport links are both convenient and reliable in Braintree allowing residents easy access to plenty of locations in the near region.

Braintree has two railway stations, Braintree, and Braintree Freeport next to the Braintree Village shopping area.

Services run to a number of towns and London can be reached in an hour, terminating at Liverpool Street Station.

Travel options by road into and out of Braintree is via the A120, which serves as the town’s main bypass.

It provides a quick link to the M11 and Stansted Airport, situated almost 16 miles (26 km) away from the town to the west. It also leads to the town of Colchester and the A12 to the east.

Braintree is perfectly placed making it an ideal location for both work and leisure

Employment

The town is very well poised for economic growth.

The central and southern portions of the district benefit from good rail and road links to London, as well as London Stansted Airport and the ports to the east.

Over the past decade, Braintree has been one of the fastest-growing areas in the country.

The town enjoys a wide employment base.

These are predominantly made up of small and medium businesses.

An estimated 32,000 residents commute from the district into London, Colchester or Chelmsford.

Unemployment rates have been falling and are significantly lower than the national average.

There are various industrial estates located around the main Braintree town area, including the Springwood Industrial Estate, Park Drive Industrial Estate and Broomhill’s Industrial Estate.

Schools

Braintree offers a good choice of local schools.

According to the BBC school tables, the best three primary schools in the area are Abacus Primary School, Abbotsweld Primary School and The Alderton Junior School.

There are eight secondary schools in the Braintree District alone, including four sixth forms and one college.

New Hall and Felsted are both considered to be good local secondary schools in the area.

Post 16 education is provided by Gosfield School, The College at Braintree, Braintree Sixth Form and Tabor Academy.

The University of Essex provides higher education.

For more information on researching and finding schools and colleges serving the Braintree area consult the local Schools Guide or visit the relevant Braintree District Council pages.

Things to do

One of the most popular local attractions to visit is Freeport Designer Village.

Set in a relaxing village environment, Freeport Braintree shopping outlet offers an escape from the stresses of city shopping.

With everything you need in one location, from great places to eat to fantastic offers from over 85 stores.

Marvel at the historic heritage with a visit to the magnificent medieval barns of Cressing Temple.

If you want to see real history come to life before your own eyes pay a visit to Hedingham Castle.

Here you can enjoy a thrilling jousting display from the knights of the Norman Keep.

There’s an abundance of things for families to do in Braintree.

Colne Valley Railway, close to Hedingham castle proves immensely popular with the kids!

It is home to a working steam train that operates a one-mile loop.

There’s also a garden railway, miniature railway, a museum and if you plan your visit well you can even meet Thomas the Tank engine himself!

Ready to Start Living in Braintree?

Are you thinking of living in Braintree?

You have already made a great choice!

Whether you want to make the most of the transport links, find a dream home, or enjoy a day of shopping, living in Braintree has something for all.

Braintree is an excellent location with a choice of good value properties, meaning there is surely a great home for you.

GoodMove will make your move to Braintree a smooth and simple process.

We take great pleasure in ensuring your move runs efficiently and effortlessly, helping you to arrive at your new home in no time at all.

As well as our competitively priced removals package, we can also provide extra services such as short-term or long-term storage should you need it.

GoodMove cover all areas of Suffolk, Norfolk and Essex and our friendly estimators can call round at a convenient time for you and strategically plan your move to perfection.

During these exceptional times, GoodMove are also offering a new video survey service.

Using our new technology, we can gather all the information required to assist with your move, from the comfort of your home!

Video surveys will help you save valuable time and go a long way to maintaining the best safety levels.

Find out more about how we could get you moving to Braintree or any other location by calling the number listed above.

Alternatively, fill out a quick quote form or click on our live bot in the bottom right and a member of our customer services team will be in touch shortly.