With only a 40 minute commute to Central London, and only a few minutes’ drive to several nearby country parks, living in Romford would appear to offer the best of both worlds. But what’s it really like to live here? Here are a few things to consider if you’re thinking of living in Romford. 
 

Is Romford a good place to live?

There are several reasons why Romford is an excellent place to live, whether you’re a young professional seeking somewhere relatively affordable to live whilst still being close to the City, or a couple or family who want the convenience of living in a town yet easy access to green spaces. 

There are excellent transport links, via:

• road (A12 or M25),
• rail (Romford is on the new Elizabeth Line, so it takes around 25 minutes from Romford to Liverpool Street takes), and 
• Overground (the Romford-Upminster Overground Line takes less than 10 minutes).

It’s therefore great for commuters, and house prices are considerably cheaper than Central London (an average of around £410,000 in Romford compared to astoundingly high prices in Central London). The lower prices are probably attributable to the fact that Romford is a Housing Zone with huge investment by the Greater London Authority that will create over 3,000 new homes (increasing housing supply and preventing overinflated prices).

There’s a wide variety of housing styles to choose from, whether you’re renting or buying. Most rental properties are new-build flats, but there are some pre-war semi-detached and detached properties available to rent, too. If you want to buy-to-let, the most profitable area is probably around Harold Wood, which is close to the London South Bank University’s Havering campus.

If you’re looking to buy a home in Romford, there are popular housing estates in the districts of Rise Park, Havering Park and Collier Row, whilst Gidea Green and other suburbs to the east of Romford have some beautiful Victorian houses if you have a larger budget.

There are plenty of good schools to choose from in Romford. Of the 29 primary schools in Romford, 5 are rated Outstanding and the rest are rated as Good (where ratings are available); of the 10 secondary schools, 5 are rated as Good and the others are independent and have not been rated. 
 

Things to do in Romford

With Central London and all its shops, theatres, museums and nightlife so close, you’ll never struggle to access entertainment when living in Romford. Within a few minutes’ drive, there are several beautiful Country Parks to enjoy (at Havering, Eastbrookend and Hornchurch to name but a few); you could also join the Parkrun at Raphael Park, or visit the Chase Nature Reserve. If you have young children, a visit to Hainault Forest Country Park will provide lots of fun, with lakeside and woodland walks and a children’s zoo to explore.

There are plenty of things to do in Romford itself: the Market is open on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, and there are plenty of highstreet and independent shops in the town centre. The Liberty Shopping Centre is home to a large number of highstreet shops, restaurants and cafes, and within the town centre there are gyms and leisure centres including the Sapphire Ice & Leisure Centre where you can have a go at ice skating.
 

Is Romford safe?

During the day, Romford is a bustling market town, and it’s as safe as anywhere else to wander around the shops and get to and from work or school. As in any major town or city, there is crime in Romford. However, many residents and residential areas have signed up to Safer Neighbourhood initiatives, and take personal responsibility for their safety when out and about at night.

Romford is a decent place to live, with plenty to do and great access to the city and countryside alike. If you’re thinking of living in Romford, remember that we have a storage facility just off the A12 where we offer our. You can use us to store your household contents or excess belongings while you settle into your new home, and we’ll keep everything safe and sound until you need it.