The London exodus: top schools, the best areas and new homes for first-time buyers in Epping
Average first-time buyer spend: £293,820, which would buy a one- possibly even a two-bedroom flat. A three-bedroom terrace cottage would be about £450,000.
Annual price increase: -0.5 per cent.
Proportion of homes sold to first-time buyers: 19 per cent.
The commute: Epping Forest presents a rare chance to pay commuterland property prices but still use the Tube. Epping is in Zone 6 of the Central line. Journeys to Zone 1 take just under an hour.
Schools: for seniors, Epping St John’s “requires improvement”, says Ofsted. In Loughton, Davenant Foundation School and Debden Park High School are both rated “outstanding”.
What’s new? The Epping district includes TOWIE-location Chigwell, where London Square Chigwell Village is a gated scheme of 43 family homes priced from £1.22 million (londonsquare.co.uk).
This summer Quinn Estates and Redrow Homes submitted a joint application to build more than 600 new homes, a sports hub and fishing lake at North Weald Golf Club, two miles north-east of Epping town centre.
The lowdown: Epping Forest encircles the town and is perfect for walking, mountain biking, running and horse riding. In town it is not pretty-pretty but there are plenty of shops, a couple of good pubs — notably The Forest Gate Inn — and a choice of coffee bars. Regular events include a Christmas market and outdoor carol singing.
“Epping is that nice blend of being in the country while still being on the Central line,” says Chris Whitbread, director of Millers estate agents.
“The high street has got a buzz to it and there is a pleasant community feel generally.”