5 Top tips to consider when searching for a home in Hornchurch

1. Get to know the Hornchurch area

Hornchurch - 15 miles north-east of central London and south of Romford - has a lot going for it so do your research to see if it’s an area that would suit you.

The area combines the charms of a rural market town with the benefits of close proximity to London and excellent transport links, including a Tube station and main line railway stations at nearby Romford and Upminster, and strong road links with the M25 motorway around 15 minutes away.

Five airports are reasonably close with none being more than an hour’s drive (depending on traffic).

There are plenty of shops and other amenities such as pubs and eating options and various open spaces including an outdoor leisure area on the site of the former RAF air base from where Spitfires flew in the war.

The property scene has a generally broad range from flats to large mansions; local knowledgeable estate agents in Hornchurch should be able to help you find your way round the local property market.

2. Location

Assess your needs:

Transport - while links are good, if you’ll be using the underground to get into London regularly be aware Hornchurch station is half a mile from the town centre. If using overground services, then being near Emerson Park station could be convenient as it has trains to London Liverpool Street (via Romford) as opposed to your having to get to Romford or Upminster stations.

Schools - if specific schools are important, be aware of catchment areas.

Amenities and entertainment - while many general amenities such as shops and eating out are within reach, for more convenience such as access to Romford’s comprehensive shopping facilities (the fourth largest in London) you might consider properties in the more northerly parts of Hornchurch.

3. Establish a good relationship with your estate agent

By talking to your local knowledgeable estate and explaining fully how you’re placed as a buyer (your budget, if you’re in a chain and so on) and your full requirements, they can help you in the best way to find a suitable property and keep the focus on only those that will suit you.

Also, they’ll keep you informed of properties about to come onto the market and those not being marketed through advertising at the request of the seller - the ‘hidden’ properties - so you can act quickly if you’re interested.

4. Check your prospective home

When you start viewing, it’s easy for the subjective element to take over once you think you’ve found an ideal property or two, but it’s vital to try and remain objective and check their condition with a comprehensive viewing without rushing.

Take your time and conduct a thorough viewing along with assessing the locale; it’s so easy to gloss over this stage in the excitement of finding what looks to be the perfect home and area, so be on guard.

5. Visit at different times

Once you have decided upon an area - or both an area and property you may make an offer on - it’s worth checking the location at different times of the day. A pleasant, quiet enclave of Hornchurch on a Sunday may be quite different on a busy workday morning with school runs and commuter traffic in full swing. Perhaps it's different at night - try and visit at different times to get the full picture.

House hunting wisely

Resolve not to make snap decisions; ensure you check the items in point 4 above before making an offer and ask as many questions as you need to. If you're looking to buy a home in Essex or Kent, contact your local Balgores branch today!