GarryP

In general they are new, which means they don't have the long track record of those in the east. They also have fair number of immigrants kids, which is both good (chinese tiger mums) and bad (english comprehension isn't great).

The first house I sent was in the catchment for Alamanda, which tends to do well in ranking and thus lots of tricks to get kids into are played. Others also have some good rep in the area. Some have charges (even government schools) - it's all a bit different from the UK.

This might help : https://bettereducation.com.au/schoo...y_schools.aspx

In the end I'd take things with a pinch of salt and concentrate on seeing for yourself. Not sure what the schools are like in your part of scotland, but I've always thought its more on the kid than anything.

GarryP

Hmm, well you see some in the town centre after school kicks out (no surprise there) and they are the usual schoolkid-in-uniform-but-doesnt-want-to-be look. Don't think I have ever seen one smoke, which is surprising when you think about it, nor them causing any trouble. Always seem to hang around at Nandos for some reason.

I can say for certain, where I went to school was much worse

Scottishedo

Thanks.

The school my girls go to here is fantastic and the secondary they are due to go to is also a really good school, which makes me anxious about moving them to a potentially worse school. You are right though wherever they go to school the onus is mostly on them to apply themselves and do their best.

Scottishedo

I know the look you mean my 11 yr old does her best to look like that most days 😂

sr71

There was quite a lot in the local news about it.

Star Weekly | Gang brawl at Point Cook prompts police talks - Star Weekly

Star Weekly | Teens menace traders at Point Cook shops

GarryP

OK, well put it like this - I've never seen it.

All you tend to see are the usual groups of 4-5 teens wandering around looking sullen and as if the world is out to get them. There's a bit round a corner where there's a basketball hoop (mainly because they want to do something with a bit of waste ground it seems) but even when I've been past there, I've not seen anything.

Certainly much less than "chavs hanging around outside McDs" that you'd get in the UK.

I've seen tougher skin on a rice pudding.

Anyway, I realise that in this devolving to the usual east vs west 'discussion', I've not really given what the OP points on Melbourne housing from my perspective, so :

1. The newer estates have both the good and bad of all being built together, and often by the same builder. What that means is that you get a certain 'saminess' in the design style from a particular era, in a particular area, which to a Brit bought up on houses built up over hundreds of years leads to a 'ticky tacky houses' feel. When I first turn up here that turned me off of the west, so I roamed over most of the east, looking at places. Here however came the 'silly price for a hovel' issue, and generally the construction of anything prior to 1990s is terrible. They are built with sod all insulation, just weatherboard, and leak heat like you wouldn't believe. It will be a shock for a Brit how double glazing is almost unknown here. The newer the house, the higher were the construction standards they had to hit. That sent me back to the west where I found an 'interesting' area. You get used to it.
2. Melbourne, maybe Australia as a whole, has a thing for a 'blocky' architectural style. Squared off and slab sided is everywhere, with arty being to put the block at a dutch angle. eg
   
   
   
   It's not my esthetic and you end up craving some curves. I guess it's not just that its cheap, given its on sculptures, but ...
3. The one main thing I miss from the UK is real verdant green. Obviously they have green here, parks etc., but the green is green+brown to my eyes and obviously in the summer it tends to turn to yellows and browns. Flip side of not having as much rain as the UK (or indeed scotland) - can't have everything. As said elsewhere, it's closer to the south of france in terms of climate.
4. You tend to get things like air con as standard (big surprise), ducted gas heating (on new houses), alarm system, a remote controlled double garage (in the suburbs), gas cooker, dishwasher, etc. However, particularly in the older houses and even in some newer ones, things can be missing, so be alert. There is something of a standard; the 4 bed, 2 bath, 2 garage detached house in the suburbs. Roads usually have 'nature strips' and planted trees on them, and on the newer roads the front gardens tend to be fenceless.
5. The local right wing party has made a screaming mess of rolling out fibre networking (the NBN) which has led to some areas having fibre to the house, and some still having ADSL, if that. It can be a major issue, and it can be difficult to work out rhyme or reasons for it. Checking, understanding, and not trusting the estate agent is definitely something to be aware of.
6. People talk of crime, and certainly there is some. However, I'd suggest it does tend to get overblown. It doesn't particularly feel onerous or troublesome (well maybe in parts of the CBD), and although there's violence associated with drugs, it's usually them shooting each other, not other people.
7. One last thing that surprised me, related to education. Unlike the UK there is a thing here for kids to attend a university in the city they grew up, and stay living at home - whereas in the UK that's the last thing they would do. Not sure it's entirely healthy, but probably means the kids would hang around longer.

Scottishedo

Thanks Garry some great point here to think about! My head is spinning with it all and the need to make a decision is about her tbh!

Beoz

Park on street. That's where cars belong.

Beoz

Me too. Just because a house is bigger and newer is no incentive for me.

Time is money. So is commuting.

Its all about location. Land value is where the money is. Buy close in now, reap the rewards later.

Speaking of which, when I think of Melbourne housing, I can never get this one out of my head. Blame the movie

http://www.onthehouse.com.au/16307637/1_3_dagonet_st_strathmore_vic_3041

ozzieeagle

I knew that was close by, at 5 Ks away, but what I didn't realise it's in a direct straight line between us and Essendon airport, so I live under the same flight path. The planes are a lot higher when they go over me, but still fairly low, not enough to hear them in the house though.

Been there and read the Gas Meter, back in my Meter reading days.

carcajou

From what I hear, housing in Melbourne's western suburbs is often geared towards migrant families. I know that the schools in that part of the city don't have a great reputation.

carcajou

Let me add, as that post is worded unintentionally poorly. I was not implying that migrant families = schools that don't have a great reputation. Two completely different thoughts. Melbourne has lots of migrant families in many regions in the city. The schools in the western suburbs specifically, for whatever reason, don't have a great reputation.

Pollyana

Strange that for some people a house under a flight path would be heaven! Back home I used to have constant traffic overhead from Shoreham (admittedly small aircraft), here my place often gets traffic descending towards Brisbane Airport, not very low, but low enough to be heaven if yoiu love planes! While in the UK this year I spent a couple of weeks staying with a friend who lives under the approach for Heathrow, about 2 tube stops from the airport - close enough to identify tails & airlines, aircraft size/make etc. The noise while in the garden wasn't too great as I expected, even for people that aren't aircraft nerds, and after a few days I didn't really notice it. Indoors the double glazing deadened it all.

Beoz

London - Richmond, Barnes, etc.

Sydney - Stanmore, Hunters Hill, Leichhardt

Lovely expensive areas with relentless commercial air traffic.

As a friend of mine in Petersham once said "you know visitors to the area. They are the ones looking up"

BadgeIsBack

All good points which I could agree with, and you've picked houses according to budget but the advice for new migrants is that estates aren't for everyone particularly as they tend to be the affordable option. Many a migrant has been seduced by 4 beds and a movie theatre.