Area guide – why are people moving to Hornchurch?

The history

Boasting a wealth of green space, affordable houses and a lively hometown atmosphere, Hornchurch is the perfect blend of rural and suburban living. Nestled in the Essex town of Havering, the area has quickly established itself as a haven for professionals and commuters looking to escape the hustle and bustle of the city.

The town has three claims to fame: the 500-seat Queens Theatre, opened in 1975 by the late Sir Peter Hall, the country’s only listed skatepark in Europe, Rom Skatepark, and an ex-RAF airfield-turned country park.

As well as having direct access to London in a matter of minutes, Hornchurch has a thriving community with its own cricket team, football team, music venue and military heritage.

The property scene

House prices in Hornchurch are on the up, with the average price of a property rising in the last three months to stand at around £450,000. House values here are also currently 9% up on 2016 when they averaged at almost £400,000, according to Rightmove.

Activity in the property market hasn’t faltered, either. The majority of sales in the town over the past year were semi-detached houses, which sold for £400,000 on average, highlighting just how popular these property types are among family buyers.

Regarding other property types, flats here sold for approximately £250,000 over the last year, while terraced houses fetched £370,000 on average.

Hornchurch, with an overall average price of just over £450,000, was similar in terms of sold prices to nearby St Leonards Estate (£400,000) and Havering (£410,000), but was more expensive than Elm Park Hornchurch (£350,000).

The amenities

Hornchurch has plenty to offer, with its high street lined with Victorian shops and its town centre full of eateries and bars. In fact, there are over 100 places to eat in the town, from high-end restaurants to family-run patisseries. The presence of the Queen’s Theatre alone has brought chain restaurants to the town, with branches of Wildwood, Prezzo, Zizzi, Chimichanga and Ask Italian all opening up here.

Shopping in Hornchurch involves a mix of quaint, off-brand shops and international brands such as Costa and Starbucks, exuding a warm, local feel. The town is also bubbling with nightlife for those who want to shake a leg. The George II in the high street and The Sutton Arms in Station Lane both feature DJ nights, while the Vertigo Lounge – the local cocktail bar – opens exclusively on weekends.

Nature enthusiasts and families with young children will enjoy the two local country parks the town has to offer: Harrow Lodge and Hornchurch Country Park. Meanwhile, there are two town centre parks: St Andrew’s Park and the historic Langtons Gardens – a popular wedding venue.

The Hornchurch Sports Centre offers fun swims as well as badminton, squash, indoor football and basketball. Rockey’s Fun House and Kidspace Romford is also on hand for children to unwind and have fun.

In terms of schools in the area, Hacton Primary School, Hall Meed School, and Nelmes Primary School are all rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted.

The transport

One of Hornchurch’s great benefits is its useful transport links. The town has a station on the District Line, taking roughly 40 minutes into the capital. Trains also run from Emerson Park to Romford and Upminster, where you can take the TFL Rail Service into Liverpool Street or the C2C service into Fenchurch Street.

Buses run from Hornchurch to surrounding towns, including Romford, Dagenham, Brentwood and Ilford. As for cars, the M25 is only 15 minutes away, so the rest of London and the Home Counties are easily accessible. City Airport is less than a half hour drive away and Southend Airport can be reached in as little as 35 minutes. Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted, meanwhile, are within an hour’s drive.

Here at Balgores Property Group, we can help you to get your property sold in Essex, east London and Kent for the best possible price. To find out more about our services, please get in touch with us at one of our offices.

Additionally, you can see how much your home could be worth on the current market by requesting a free and instant online valuation.