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Southend-on-Sea commuter homes – what can you get for your money?

Posted 8 May 2015 by Keith Osborne

For London professionals willing to spend about an hour each way on their daily commute, the Victorian seaside town of Southend-on-Sea in Essex offers a great choice of homes at lower prices than you could find in London's inner city boroughs – accompanied by some excellent schools.

Each part of the town has its own personality. The sought-after Thorpe Bay area, for instance, is well-known for its prestigious, period Edwardian properties, with price tags to match. The district of Leigh-on-Sea, on the other hand, has become firmly established as a trendy spot for young London families keen to resettle outside of the capital.

At the far east of town amidst peaceful wetlands and with two beaches is Shoeburyness. Other popular locations include the Southend Conservation Area, which is home to Victorian terraces and semis; the Clifftown Conservation Area; and the suburb of Westcliff-on-Sea.

Commuter ease

Southend has two stations. Victoria station offers trains to London's Liverpool Street station, taking about an hour, and annual season tickets cost £3,668. The station car park has just 14 parking spaces and a daily weekday charge of £4.50. There are 86 Sheffield Stand bike spaces. Southend's Central station has trains to London's Fenchurch Street station, a journey which takes about 52 minutes, and an annual season ticket for that journey costs £3,316. The station car park has 138 spaces and charges an annual rate of £1,191. There is storage available for 17 bikes.

By road, Southend-on-Sea is also well-connected. It is linked to London, the M25 and the rest of the country by two major A roads: the A127 via Basildon and Romford, and the A13, via Tilbury and London Docklands.

Education

Adding to Southend's appeal is the fact it is home to several good primary schools, some of which are judged "outstanding" by Ofsted; a choice of private schools; four well-respected grammar schools; and a number of comprehensive schools which also tend to enjoy better-than-average results.

Property types

Buyers will find a good variety of house styles in Southend-on-Sea, including Victorian and Edwardian period properties, homes from modern eras, and brand new contemporary apartments. Weston Homes, for instance, is set to build 97 brand new apartments close to the seafront, spread across two blocks, with a 99-space basement car park. Situated on Sutton Road, these properties will also be close to the town's two stations.

A sample of the current homes for sale in Southend-on-Sea include:

£100,000 or less

With its accessible price tag, this one-bedroom ground floor flat would be an ideal purchase for a first-time buyer or as an investment buy-to-let property. With gas central heating and its own off-street parking space to the front, the flat is conveniently situated close to the town centre and the main line station.

Price: £90,000

Agent: Tudor Estates

£200,000 or less

This spacious seafront apartment with onebedroom, one bathroom and one reception room enjoys impressive sea views and is also close to the shops, the station and the town centre. Offered with no onward chain it also has off-street parking at the rear of the property, accessed via a private road.

Price: £165,000

Agent: Tudor Estates

£225,000 or less

An ideal starter home, this two-bedroom terraced house is in a handy location close to the 31-acre Southchurch Park, with its formal gardens, sports pitches, model boating lake and café. It is just over a mile from Southend Central station, and within easy reach of the Thorpe Bay area. The house also has a back garden of approximately 24 ft, and is being presented to market with off-street parking and no onward chain.

Price: £210,000

Agent: Bairstow Eves

£275,000 or less

Situated in a popular residential area, this attractive three-bedroom mid-terrace house has recently been refurbished and therefore is in excellent decorative order throughout, with solid oak flooring. Outside the good-sized garden has a decked area and an area laid to lawn, while the front is block paved to offer off-street parking.

Price: £275,000

Agent: Bairstow Eves

£325,000 or less

Ideal thanks to its location for buyers who work at Southend Airport, this extended three-bedroom semi-detached bungalow offers generous living accommodation including an impressive 24-ft lounge/diner; a large loft room in addition to the three bedrooms; a 40x65-ft rear garden with a large workshop; and off-street parking. It is situated in a popular residential area close to a good set of local amenities, and less than a mile from Southend Airport.

Price: £315,000

Agent: Reed Residential

£350,000 or less

For under £350,000, this four-/five-bedroom Victorian semi-detached property has enjoyed extensive refurbishment and restoration over recent years to provide a great family home that combines character features with contemporary design elements. Situated in a quiet residential street near the seafront, the house offers easy access to the town centre, stations and great schools, and has a back garden in excess of 125 ft – while the front is gated with off-street parking.

Price: £349,995

Agent: PurpleBricks.com

£475,000 or less

In the heart of Southend's Conservation Area, this beautiful three-storey, four-bedroom Victorian townhouse enjoys a lovely outlook with views over Southend Bowls Club. It is in a great part of town, just a few minutes' walk from Clifftown Parade, Cliff Gardens, the mainline railway station and the town centre. The accommodation is flexible as it is spread over three floors, with the potential to accommodate two families, and with minor alterations one area could be made into a self-contained garden flat.

Price: £465,000

Agent: Hopson Property

£550,000 or less

Situated in the prestigious Clifftown Conservation Area, close to the town centre and mainline railway stations, this three-storey, three-/four-bedroom Victorian townhouse retains many fine period features. The accommodation includes a lounge/diner with views over the bowling green; a master bedroom with balcony access; and a luxury bathroom with Victorian cast iron bath, amongst other features. Outside there is an enclosed garden with patio, shrubs and lawn areas, and a garage.

Price:  £535,000

Agent: Hopson Property

£700,000 or less

In the sought-after Chalkwell Hall development in Westcliff-on-Sea, less than a mile from Southend Victoria main line station, this four-bedroom detached house offers plenty of space for family life internally, while outside it has an enclosed rear garden and a mature front garden with off-street parking for up to two vehicles.

Price: £700,000

Agent: Bairstow Eves

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