crystaldi

yes totally agree, and i do know of a lot of nice streets within alex hills. The crack house thing me being jovial, However just to point out what I mean in reality, Australia does not have council housing estates, nothing like the uk anyway (they do have a few but they are rare and mixed within the community and you wouldnt know, like you would in the uk) so most areas within the bayside are to me, and other ex pats good, But, and this is the but, know your road/neigbourhood were you buy cause to the locals there is more trouble in certain parts of alex hills and indeed thornlands - the skate park on the main road of thornlands is WELL renowed for it's "Boots on the electric wire" (drug dealers mark).

I would have initially been happy to have bought the house we looked at at AH, however although the price was slightly cheaper - the work that needed doing was going to cost a lot and when it added up we have ended up paying $10k more for a brand new 4 bed 2 bath in redland bay.

Also, we looked at a lovely house in birkdale as we would have loved to stay round that area, but the prices of the houses where the same as redland bay for a older house with problems and the one house we liked that we could afford turned out to be right behind the local tip.... and in the summer - well its not pleasant! We only lived a few blocks further in wellington point for 2 years and loved it!

People do say redland bay is far out, but the infrastructer is going in, and there is a good bus service and TBH - if you are coming out from the uk and have $400k to spend on a house the chances are you will have at least 1 car if not 2.

ps, just to add there are rough areas within redland bay too. I also know of people who started out at redland bay but moved because it was too quiet for them. I love the bayside and i do hate renting but I really would come out and rent 4 6mths while you pick a area you want to buy into, just to be sure. it could make a huge difference to your life just on the street you pick.

Rudi

LOL where on earth does that come from?!!! That is hysterical!

As to more trouble in Thornlands?!!! Is there??? Where??? Thornlands is a dead as a dodo come nightime!!!

Love

Rudi
x

Stitch

I have quite a few friends in Redland Bay where the new houses have been built and unfortunately there is very limited infrastructure (and limited to be put in place in terms of public transport) which is great if you don't mind travelling and running a couple of cars. We however only run one car so choose our area that was convenient to what our needs were, as I'm sure others do to. It's been unfrortunate lately that Redland Bay has been in the news for breakins and other crimes but as with every other area nothing in comparison to the UK (and I lived in a really quite part of the UK).

NELBHOY

Very informative thread by the way What kind of commute is there from Alex hills to the airport? Coming out for reccie next year to take a look at North Lakes, but interested in other areas as long as the commute isn't a killer!

Rudi

It usually takes us 30 to 40 mins to the airport from Thornlands (which is pretty close to Alex Hills), so it's not too bad. Probably a bit more at rush hour.

Love

Rudi
x

NELBHOY

Thanks Rudi. My commute is about 15 mins just now so I suppose I'll just need to learn to enjoy driving more

comet555

In good traffic we can get to the airport in about 25 minutes from Capalaba, so from Alex Hills it should only add about another 5 minutes or so depending on how far east you are. That's for totally free flowing traffic though.

On a busier day (and closer to peak hour) it would take us closer to 45 minutes (plus 5 to Alex Hills). It could be closer to an hour right in the middle of rush hour.

Stitch

Prob about 30 mins tops...so not bad in the scheme of things. Lots of road works just now but when all done should cut time a little. Well worth looking around and thinking about toll charges etc.

Cheers

Ginny

NELBHOY

Thanks. Yeah, got a pal who lives in North Lakes & works at the airport. He says the guys from the other side of the bridge are always complaining about the tolls.
Never been to North lakes but one of the worries we have is that it may be a bit remote & sterile. Find out soon I suppose!!

ABCDiamond

When we moved here, the locals told us to avoid Redland Bay, as it was so far away (about 5 minutes drive from Victoria Point)

Car ownership, per household, in Redland Bay:
2.6% have no cars
67.6% have 2 or more cars.

crystaldi

Hysterical - yes - true - yes!! Also the new housing estate opp the skate park the new houses already have some graffiti onit - wont say what, but its big and bold so yes, but as I said b4 - to us uk guys anywhere round bayside is good and yes thornlands is in 2 halves split by the main road and the one near the sea which is newer is the nice area. My partner who has lived and worked in the area for over 14 years and works in a lot of houses in the area as he deals with the rental market so he does see the good AND the bad!

Rudi

I completely disagree. I own a house in the new bit and also the old bit. I CHOOSE to live in the one in the old bit. The area is so much nicer and friendlier. Can't beat a walk around the lake with the dogs.

Love

Rudi
x

crystaldi

I am sure you DO CHOOSE to... Good for you, we CHOOSE not too. I dont think the area is bad at all as I have said before thats why I would always suggest to rent when first coming out here so you can pick the area you prefer the most

Brisben

Everyone has different requirements and different expectations from where they want to live, they also have different experiences from each other.

The best way to look for an area is from a financial and wellbeing standpoint.

You or most need.

Good infastucture.

Transport links, trains, buses.

Shopping, local supermarket.

Schools, if needed.

Also important is property value, is the area up and coming, are house values on the rise or decline etc. I mean house prices really determine where most of live within reason.

Because if I had more money and no need to work, I would be living up the sunny coast now, with my boat out the back with my ocean view.

Thats why I live in Alex, it offered good priced housing, I looked in manly west and they wanted half a mil and it needed full reno.

I am lucky I live right on the border of Birkdale so am a little closer to capalaba and the city than deep Alex Hills(Cleveland side) however now I have purchased here, I actually love it. But cannot take away the fact, money made the decision in the end.

Rudi

Please can you provide me with some statistical data to back up your statements that there is more trouble in Thornlands (compared to other areas in the Bayside), because for the life of me I can't find anything and legitimate references to the boots on a wire being a drug dealers mark.

Thanks