NHNH2016

Where not to live/areas to avoid? Would be great to know of areas to avoid due to crime/dodgy areas as it's not clearly advertised on the net and usually isn't an accurate picture.

I'm not looking to live directly in the CBD. Happy to find accommodation 30mins away from CBD. We are both more laid back and enjoy our quiet time.

Any helpful advice would be useful.

Thanks again.

evets

Areas that I lived in include Alphington, Ripponlea, Elsternwick, Carnegie, Camberwell, Richmond.

All very pleasant, good public transport, good amenities and come with a walkable score and within the 30 mins from the CBD

Never experienced any breakins or crime in those areas. Was pulled up by the police once walking home from the shops, due to some criminal activity that was happening in the area at the time and just a random check.

Once you to get to some of the outer suburbs, then crime will start to pick up and what you think of Melbourne as a city will change vastly. I cannot comment on the suburbs but even changing a trainline can come as a shock, think Cranbourne verse Sandringham. Was an eye opener for me.

Also the tram from the CBD going through Fitzroy is another eye opener. Not saying it is a bad area as the area itself is very gentrified but it does have its rough spots.

GarryP

CHECK MY PROPERTY: Real Estate Data Intelligence

This might help you.

However, be advised that postcode level data can be misleading since variability is much more constrained than that (there are hotspots) - so these types of map are only a starting point.

As for time/distance, you need to take into account time of day. Rush hour is very different to other times. A good starting point there is google maps journeys (where you can set the time of day).

Japonica

Okay, have a good look at the city and as Garry said you can google map journeys to see how long it would take using public transport. The PT Vic site has a journey planner as well.

https://www.ptv.vic.gov.au

Check out realestate.com.au and the like to get an idea of rental and purchase prices. That might contrain where you end up. We were originally trying for closer in, but our budget said no way. There was an amusing article recently from some 20-somethings lamenting the cost of rental housing near the CBD and how they couldn't find anything decent for the three of them under $600 a week.

Don't automatically assume outer = crime ridden. Warrandyte is definitely outer, but apparently the safest suburb in the Melbourne area. Go figure.

There's also plenty of discussions on the net via various forums about "good" and "bad" burbs. Won't make generalisations as I'm sure I'll offend someone, but when you get a shortlist, feel free to post it and I'm sure some of us will chime in. Good luck and happy researching.

Oh and I have experience with the outer east and I work in Fitzroy, which is, as evets described, colourful. There was a fight one time where the participants were throwing 1 litre tetra paks of coconut water at each other. Now that sums it up...rough and gentrified at the same time.

jad n rich

30 mins from cbd is going to be pretty full on. Traffic price noise and competition.

Eltham you suggested is 50 mins train commute is more quiet and green, traffic is insane around greensborough, eltham etc but thats anywere really so hardly unique. 850,000 upwards for a Ok ish needs a bit of work house. Cheap compared to a few stops further in.

Crime dodgy. Umm, this is melbourne right, you are gonna get that anywhere to some extent, price or distance wont exclude it. Its a crowded very multicultural city with areas bursting at the seams with all sorts of people. We have city, east west and north fingers in the pie due to jobs, , homes, kids business, uni and life ...

East can be a bit less wild west, but there are plenty of dump boganish suburbs there too, and crime. Son lives in a very expensive part of city due to some fortunate circumstances but hell, the crap, burglaries, cars damaged, they put up with is pretty bad, over and above what son living on the inner circle north west borders ( ethnic, rough apparently ) , has ever had to put up with.

We owned in ELtham, looks lovely, but look out for development, again as anywhere, we were outta there when a neighbours pool was approved one metre from our boundary and 8 units were going on the land next door. Had some picky neighbours too, real snobs as well, lot of that there IME.

Ive yet to find anywere I would really want to put down perm roots in melb , 2 years on. I like the yarra ranges but most property sells in days, and that is a big slip area, really BAD for it, and buying while putting in conditions such as subject to soil tests etc, means the owners usually grab a contract where the purchaser does not put that!

Another thing to watch out for, is as so much property is subdivided, the joys of a shared driveway and the owners corporation. . NO NO NO once only, 3 houses up same driveway, again eltham. would you like a $ 10,000 slippery finish put on that mam, because the other members are voting for it, heres the bill and now the fencing and the $1600 mailbox !!

other useful advice, only judge the price of an area by the sold prices, eg high 600,000 guide will probably mean 880,000, competitive, guide price just gets you to the door, nothing is sold by a set price, even a unit listed at say 730 they will want more. Also know what to add in stamp duty, its extraordinary.

Rent first get used to the joys and less joyous bits of melbourne. the realities of the commute options will also dictate where you end up.

Didnt find renting too bad, offered 6 months up front and slightly over the rent guide price, agent said he already had 5 other applications but we got it so that must have done the trick.

Buzzy--Bee

30 mins by car or public transport? Also, what kind of property are you looking for, for what budget?