Re: The Melbourne thread
 

Melbourne property gulf grows wider
http://www.theage.com.au/news/nation...629730845.html

In some areas clearance rates of close to 90% were recorded while in the south east nearly half of all auctions ended without a sale.

In the south east, including suburbs that hug Port Phillip Bay, clearance rates plummeted to 51% compared with 85% for the same time last year. Demand was similarly weak to the outer east and north of Melbourne.

Figures released by property research group Residex show a sharp divide between the best and worst-performing Melbourne suburbs in terms of capital growth.

Melbourne's popular south-eastern suburbs continued to outperform other parts of the city for the first three months of this year. Ashburton recorded the biggest gain for the period, rising 7.72% , closely followed by Ashwood (7.59%), Caulfield East (7.49%) and Mount Waverley (7.47%).

Melbourne's outer suburbs — lacking in quality infrastructure, transport and services — suffered in the beginning of the year. Braeside was the worst, with a -1.93% capital return. The typical house in Frankston South lost 1.8% in value and Hillside (in Melbourne's north-west) 1.66%.

Next week the REIV releases the latest quarterly prices for properties in Melbourne and rural Victoria.

Re: The Melbourne thread
 

Thanks for the article link @boy, do you think we'll see house prices coming down, staying static for a while???

Re: The Melbourne thread
 

Let's hope so ;)

Re: The Melbourne thread
 

I do believe the article is accurate. Rising prices, static prices, decreasing prices may all happen at the same time, varying wildly from one area of Melbourne to the next.

What area are you thinking about moving to ?

Re: The Melbourne thread
 

Doreen is our first choice as we have family there. If that doesn't suit, we'd look at Eltham or Diamond Creek.

Re: The Melbourne thread
 

Doreen is a fair way out (27km from CBD) if you are looking at commuting in to the city ?
Maybe it does not seem that far on a map, but the traffic will hurt you.
No public transport and your run into the city is about 1.5 hours.

Eltham as a 2nd choice is interesting. It's a beautiful area, but will take a much bigger chunk out of your wallet compared to a place in Doreen. (20km from CBD - good train line)

Diamond Creek also a nice green belt area, and more affordable than Eltham, although still more expensive than Doreen I would think. (23km from CBD - less train services from the CBD though as it is one stop past the Eltham service)

I would not have enough first hand knowledge of Doreen to guess where the prices may go there, but living in Rosanna, with friends not too far away in Eltham and Diamond Creek, I don't really see prices dropping in either of those areas any time soon.

Re: The Melbourne thread
 

Hi,

Thanks for the info. My "plan" should I get a job in the CBD would be to drive from Doreen to Greensborough station and get the train in from there. My Dad thinks the total commute would be around 1 hour - which I'm comfortable with. What makes you say Eltham is an interesting choice?

The reason we're looking at these areas are my Dad lives in Doreen but when we visited 10 years ago he lived in Lower Plenty and we spent a fair amount of time in Eltham and D.Creek (and loved both places) - we're not setting anything in stone but these are our base points to start our home search. Like you say, I know the prices in Eltham are higher than Doreen but the commute would be less.

Cheers,

Colin

Re: The Melbourne thread
 

Certainly might be doable in an hour if you get your timings right.
25 minute drive from Doreen to Greensborough station and a 35 minute run into Parliment station on the train. I do think it would have to be an optimum run though.
Has your dad actually timed the drive/ride himself ? It would be worth doing just to be accurate about a realistic commute time for you.

I meant 'interesting' as a second choice as normally given the Eltham/DC/Doreen options if you intend working in the city it would be 1st/2nd/3rd in that order.
I understand though that as you have family in Doreen it becomes 1st choice for you.

Best of luck with the move. Fingers crossed for everything for you guys.

Re: The Melbourne thread
 

Thanks mate, that is certainly one of my first priorities upon arrival is to establish realistic commute times. All depends on where I get a job you know, saw a job last week in Camberwell with free parking so I would drive all the way - patients is what's needed - just in lack of supply, too much of it is being used waiting for the visa grant / house sale...

Thanks for your advice.

Colin

Re: The Melbourne thread
 

I didn't say that their opinions didn't count. All I said is that its a generalised statement. I too have a decent size family who are Aussie, with kids and well educated.

Of course they get tutoring in that area, they need good scores to keep up attendance. If you have a child that struggles you may, on the other hand, find them nudged toward Vcal.....then their scores are not so important...

NOT all schools, but it happens.

Re: The Melbourne thread
 

This seems extraordinary.

I don't know the roads around Doreen at all, but for 27ks to take 1.5 hours means you are doing an average of about 18ks/hour which seems incredibly slow.

The commute from Frankston/Langwarrin can be done in 1 hour or just over and that is 45ks so I'm guessing that the road infrastructure around Doreen is a little lacking?

Buzzy

Re: The Melbourne thread
 

27k was a straight line distance as the crow flies from the CBD.
Driving distance from Doreen is actually 35k.

Shocking gridlocks out that way at peak hour times Buzzy.

Imagine if there was no rail line to Frankston.
Can you picture your driving time from there as a result of all those extra commuters driving instead ?
Well, this is the problem you face as you head out past Hurstbridge (the end of the train line)

The biggest problem is Yan Yean road which struggles to service all of those rapidly expanding developments (Doreen, Laurimer, Mernda etc).
I am assuming of course that Colin would be looking at driving during normal peak hour traffic ?

Re: The Melbourne thread
 

Crikey, 45kms per hr is pretty good in rush hour - is that Monash or Nepean? It used to take us about 45 mins from Aspendale outside rush hour, but the Nepean is pretty much stop-start with all the lights.

Even from The Basin (32kms out) it takes about 45 mins outside rush hour - though that should drop to 30 mins once the Eastlink is open - I hope!
I have no idea what it would be during rush-hour - but wouldn't consider it as the train only takes 45-50 mins.

Re: The Melbourne thread
 

Frankston Freeway to Springvale Road, Wells Road to White Street, down White Street on to the Nepean.

Buzzy

Re: The Melbourne thread
 

Blimey - I know that route well - I had no idea the traffic was so light in rush hour. Good to know.