mancfamily

I am hoping to get my permenant visa in the coming months, so i have just returned from Melbourne after going there to check out Jobs , Schools and houses.


I have checked out three area , Caroline Springs (West Melbourne), Glen Waverley ( South East Melboure ) and Benleigh, Highett both East Melbourne.


But im still uncertain which are to go for , we're young family with 2 girls aged 8 and 2.



Any tips advice out there ??

soulrebel

I will watch this thread with interest as we are going out next year. Good luck!!

herrchook

We're in Caroline Springs and we really like it here. Good rail and road links into the city (taxi's are another story though), ease of access to the Great Ocean Road, clean friendly suburb with loads going on and property prices are still affordable.

Loads of schools to choose from and the council are right now they're building another 2 schools and another kinder due to the growing population.

I reckon this place is really going to come into its own in 5-10 years once it's more established, but already, you see a huge difference between one end (build 7-8 yrs ago) and the other in terms of trees and how the area feels.

Had I the money to spend on a huge mortgage in the east, I'd choose Glen Waverley (or more central if we won the lottery), or if OH didn't have to commute to the CBD we'd choose Berwick area. However, CS was our compromise and we're happy with the decision.

Good luck with your suburb hunt

The Crow

Do you have a max travel time to CBD (presuming that's where you'll be working)? How far do you want to be from the coast? Any other criteria? Don't like to ask people about budget - but it does help when dishing out advice!

mancfamily

Thanks



Would prefer to get the train in really , no more than an hour train trip.


The budget would be when buying around a$400 k , which is i think around £ 170 k .


We have to rent at first , but i wnt to rent in the same area i buy , i dont wnt to keep moving my daughters to differnt schools.


Cheers

Jasonmb

Hi we are also interested in this thread, we are moving out March next year and have similar criteria, about 1 hour max commute, good for kids etc.

@boy

Happy to be proven wrong on this but I live in Rosanna in the NE suburbs and I think I know this side of the city reasonably well when it comes to property prices.

If you are looking at 400k as a ceiling, then I can't see Bentleigh or Glen Waverley as options. They have both had approx 20% price growth in the last 12 months alone. Highett I am not so sure of, but I believe it is a pretty similar situation. (i.e. median house prices of approx 500K)

Caroline Springs should be no problem with that budget (median of around 300k, with a slower price growth), but that is mainly because it is twice the distance (approx 30km) from the CBD as the other suburbs that you have mentioned.

augigi

Don't think you'll get much house for $400K in Highett, but I can confirm it's a good area. I live around there, and there's good access to public transport, lots of shopping, quick to the city, close to the beach etc.

herrchook

OH takes the train from Caroline Springs and it's no more than 40 mins each way. And it's it only around 22kms from the city?

Also, the Deer Park bypass is currently under construction which will reduce the drive time from here and it's basically going to be motorway door to door.

The Crow

If you don't mind being inland, then you could look around the foothills of the Dandenong Ranges. The Belgrave train line services the area. We are in The Basin which is approx 45 mins on the train (from Boronia - 5 min drive). Also stations at Ferntree Gully, Upper Ferntree Gully, Upwey, Tecoma and Belgrave. However Belgrave would be over an hour, I would think.

House prices are still good here, although rising - but you can still get a 4 bed for under $400K. The area is beautiful, with mainly established housing and great communities with village atmospheres. National Park on your doorstep - a huge range of facilities within 10-15 mins (Boronia, Bayswater, Knox etc). Boronia also has some nice streets - but some not so nice.

There is Lysterfield Lake beach if you don't fancy a 45 min drive to the coast - though hopefully that will reduce with the Eastlink opening soonish.

Good luck with your search!

Rachel

@boy

This is true, 21.4km (as the crow flies).

I was thinking of distance via the WestGate Fwy. (at 30km a longer distance, but shorter drive)
Driving via the Western Hwy from the centre of Caroline Springs is 24.5k

The_Pom_From_Aus

mancfamily;

we live 15 mins from Glen Waverley (Rowville) glen waverley is a great suburb, it has the railway (essential) it also has a great state school academic in the top 20 in the state, the shopping center is 1st class. i work for the Education system as i say the school is very good, Caroline springs is OK but i can see problems in the next 10 years there with society & i would say the travel to the city shall become a nightmare, at present to commute to the city can be stressful for people. but thats my 2 bobs worth, when you get here go to the school's and do the school tours they all do them, then go back again watch the kids how they interact with each other then you will get the gut feeling if the school is ok for your child. if i can be of further help please just ask. i only recommend glen waverley as a global feeling for a family not personal.

best of luck mate