Croweater

The house prices in Brisbane are really starting to rocket. It's very difficult now to find a 'decent' house for anything less than 450k within 45 mins drive from the city. anyone findinhg the same thing ?

comet555

We found it tough too. We arrived in June and were in short term rental in the Bayside area. Initially we had hoped to only spend 400k but after looking around we couldn't find anything we wanted for that. There were some ok houses but nothing that I thought was worth the price.

We eventually bought in Capalaba for 460k. We got a 4 bed, 2 bath, double garage and a pool. We're in a newer subdivision so it's pretty nice and very quiet. So it can be done. My husband takes the bus to the city in the morning and it takes about 40 minutes. So not too bad.

LynetteandDarren

I am new to this but we have had our tra accpected and are due to go to Brisbane in jan'09, we are looking to go to pacific pines is it good there for kids and work does anybody no.thanks

comet555

No idea, that's a much different area of the city.

I've done a quick search for you because you're new here. Welcome by the way!

http://britishexpats.com/forum/searc...earchid=384351

In the future if you want to look something up just go to the main Australia page and look on the long horizontal bar that has the forum titles. On the right side it says search this forum. Just type in whatever you want to look up and you'll find lots of info.

There is so much info on this forum so topics are repeatedly getting discussed. Sometimes it's easier and faster to do a search.

Oh, for house prices check out:
www.realestate.com.au

Vim Fuego

If you can stretch to 60 minutes and can bear the shame and ridicule that will come of being a Southsider (and the same smug satisfaction that comes from knowing the detractors are wrong) then I recommend hunting around the Logan/Beaudesert border. $450K no problemo.

Centurion

Basically no. The whole of the Bayside area is within that commute time and frankly there are heaps poperties at the $450k mark that I would live in.

Might I suggest perhaps champagne tastes for beer prices ? I've just searched realestate.com for a list sub 450 in our area and surrounds and there are heaps of houses (100+) that frankly I would live in and I wouldnt live in a sh*thole.

I think you need to reconsider what "decent" means to you and compare that to the money you have to spend with a realistic point of view.

Sure, Brisbane isnt cheap, but its not that expensive either.

Centurion

Apologies to anyone who lives there, but living in a large master planned "community" (aka estate) doesnt appeal to me and I'd rather live in an established older community. Horses for courses naturally.

bcworld

Too true.....there are literally dozens of suburbs within 45mins drive of Brisbane where a nice house can be had for $400-$450k. Bayside I'd say you could look in Capalaba, Alex Hills, Mount Cotton....southside, well probably any suburb south of Holland Park (we're talking 15mins drive to the city here) & Tarrigindi. No idea about the northside.

SarahJane2007

You can pick up a nice newish 3/4 bed lowset brick in wakerley for around the 400 mark....only 40 mins into the City by car. & Wynnum....even closer! but a queenslander older style property. prices are rising though so to get full benefits of the rise I would buy pretty soon.

jad n rich

Nope you just dont look at the places that get mentioned/pushed on forums etc.

Look at future infastucture, easily checked, council websites etc. By doing that we found beachfront for not much more than the figure you are quoting. Older house, floorplan ideal to turn into modern house, needs nothing more than 50K for total renovation, mainly cosmetic horrors nothing stuctural.

We bought in Woody point, council website revealed major road upgrades and a new bridge, plus multi million dollar redevelpment of parkland, beach and new pier and artificial reef just metres from the house, suddenly the wallpaper and mirror tiled staricase seems trivial

There are real bargains if you know the property prices in Sydney and Melbourne for comparative stuff.

themerlin

http://www.realestate.com.au/cgi-bin...&tm=1195182769

Just an example Not a McMansion but near the train line.

tictac

If it'd have been just me and the missus, then I guess we'd have spent 6 months looking at different places and getting a feel on house prices.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing but I don't think our situation is particularly down to anyone's 'mistake'.

We arrived in June and one of our priorities was to get the kids into schools which of course would govern where we would ultimately, if we were able to, buy.

Our first visit to Brisbane was spent northside. It ticked all the right boxes in terms of schools, distance to work, coast etc etc. We didn't, at the time, realise just how quickly houses prices were going up and how few there were available. There is only so much research you can do over the t'interweb.

The southside places mentioned are all very appealing areas with houses within our price range. If we could move there and buy we would.

Nevertheless, kids are settled into schools northside and we don't want to expose them to any more upheaval in the near future.

So I guess, in a way, we're 'stuck' in terms of where we can live.

We're currently in a nice rental in a nice area but house prices are continuing to rise at a steady pace. We're happy to rent and save but we run the risk of prices getting out of our reach. In a way, I see continuing to rent to save a huge deposit rather like a dog chasing it's tail - we'll never get there.

We can either:

1/ Buy a 'shack' for peanuts and renovate it (ok if you're handy and have loads of time and don't mind living in a dump for a bit)

2/ Opt for 100% mortgage to get into the market (traditionally taboo) and hope the projected growth materialises.

3/ Accept that we've been priced out so continue to rent and build an escape fund for returning to the UK (where we'd be in the same position)

It's a tough one but I'm confident enough that we'll get there, and I'm a firm believer in short term pain long term gain

Good luck to all those in a similar boat

ozzieeagle

Hmmm I forgot you were in the Building game, can you possibly provide me with a top ball park estimate, of the costs for a 17 square house, of restumping, replastering, replumbing, and new electrics, and possible reroofing which all needs to be done before I extend LOL... Trouble is I'm serious and your answer could help others.

Or.... would it be better to get one building company to quote for the lot as part of a major home extension ?


I'm fed up with thinking about it, and it's time for action.

Thanks J+J I've decided I like where I live and its a better option than moving and being 40,000 grand or more behind in stamp duty and other fees. We possibly have some of the best infrastructure in the Country here in Coburg.

SarahJane2007

How about investing in a property over here on the Southside and renting it out? That way your money is in 'bricks and mortar' and rising with the property but with tenant paying your mortgage and you get to stay where you are happily renting without disturbing your kids schooling.

jad n rich

Up here the guys doing the restumping etc all seem to do it as a specialty so no idea on that one. As you probably know, most of the above jobs are done by individual licenced contractors, your best bet is to get each licenced contractor to quote his bit. Without seeing the house hard to quote, eg, is it just the roofing sheets, or roofing, trusses, gutters, downpipes, is asbestos a factor etc etc etc

If you want PM a pic of house, will get R to have a better look.

Totally agree on fees and stamp duty, fees are amazing here OMG and as you know qld's cheaper than melb.

On the Real estate agent side tho, notice a lot of 1% agents breaking into the market, ruffling a few feathers