koala_mac

cheers Noodle
We'll be in the cardboard box then (I wonder if we can hang onto our shipping crate....luxury!)

OzTennis

Yep, can help you there. Generally speaking as you will have found out prices fall as you move away from the CBD and away from the bay. So at a guess Sandringham will be the most expensive of the above and Aspendale will be the cheapest. Cheltenham and Bentleigh are roughly in between geographically and in price but further from the water. If you can afford it I personally would go for Sandringham first.

My brother lives at Frankston and we come from Williamstown on the other side of the bay (we have a place there which has a tenant but we stay there when we are out each year - nice arrangment). Anyway, when I drive over to my brother's its over the Westgate Bridge and down to the bay at Beacon Cove/Port Melbourne. From there it is a lovely drive around the bay as far as Mordialloc where the road goes slightly inland and follows the railway line to Frankston. Aspendale is either just before or just after Mordialloc (my memory is going!). This is crucial as before would be a must for me.

Anyway, if I was choosing I wouldn't go further than Mordialloc and I would try for close to the beach. Further back towards the CBD you get Brighton which is extremely expensive and prices fall (but are still high) to places like Sandringham, Black Rock, Beaumaris etc.

The Sandringham/Cheltenham area is known as the 'sand belt' and it is where all the famous golf clubs are - Royal Melbourne, Huntingdale, Kingston Heath etc, etc.

Hope this helps, get back if you need more info. I'll have to look at my Melbourne and suburbs map at home as I may have moved some of the above suburbs

OzTennis

OzTennis

er, arrangEment even (typo, honest)

OzTennis

natalie

Hi OzTennis,

What about Wantirna? Seems quite reasonablely priced.
Also is Springvale any good?

Have tried emailing estate agents for some advice, no luck, seem unwilling to pass on any knowledge about the local areas.

Natalie

HiddenPaw

You do have good tastes! Price in brackets is % increase in last 12 months)
Carlton - $608k (19%)
Kew - $790k (16%)
Sth Yarra - $700k (-5%)
Prahran - $505k (6.7%)
Toorak - $1.7m (41.7%)

Avg price in Melbourne as a whole is $368k

Natalie, Springvale - um, there are nicer areas. It has a reputation as being a druggie area unfortunately. Avg price is $227k

OzTennis

Caroline

Quick check of the map last night - Aspendale is after Mordialloc, around the Nepean Hwy and close to the bay - reasonable but as I said the 'burbs' before Mordialloc are more desirable if you can afford them. Bentleigh is slightly north of where I imagined and is inland from Brighton on the eastern side of the Nepean Hwy - quite nice, will be cheaper than Brighton but could be quite expensive. Just a personal preference - I would go for the bay (west) side of the Nepean Hwy if you can find something within budget.

Natalie

Springvale - NO, similar to Dandenong in that it has its fair share of problems. Wantirna is to the east of the city towards the foothills of the Dandenong Ranges (not to be confused with the suburb of Dandenong). It is in a nice belt of suburbs - Heathmont, Bayswater, Studfield, Boronia etc and is slightly further out than what I call 'Neighbours' territory (where it is filmed) - Vermont, Vermont South, Forest Hill, Nunawading, Blackburn. I wouldn't have any qualms about any suburb I've mentioned if you can find something to suit and to budget - but not Springvale. Public transport good in all 'burbs' but obviously the further out you get the trams disappear and the trains, buses etc become less frequent. Everyone of these would be comfortably within 1 hour of the city.

Hope this helps. PM me anyone if you want more details eg about why not Dandenong or Springvale!

OzTennis

noodle

OzTennis

Cheers for your help. It looks like it'll be between Aspendale and Cheltenham. Cheltenham is nearer to the CBD, but seems to have the same house prices as Aspendale, which made me wonder if it's such a good area? I'm not planning on buying straight away, so when we finally do get over there, I will check the places out.

Thanks again, Noodle.

OzTennis

Cheltenham and Aspendale similar prices eh? A case of Aspendale being further out but closer to the water; Cheltenham being closer in but further from the water I think. Cheltenham is probably also an older suburb. Incidentally the area between Mordialloc and Frankston was very popular with migrants and young families in the 50's/60's onwards. Then it was 'in the sticks' on the edge of the built up area and land was comparatively cheap.

You could get a new house on a block of land for an affordable price in this area. Now they are all well within the built up area. I know in Aspendale, particularly along the waterfront, that people tend to buy the houses at a reasonable price and either knock them down and re-build or the thing you'll see everywhere of 'going up' (adding a top storey).

Good Luck.

OzTennis

OzTennis

K_M

I don't know if HP got back to you by PM? I don't have the exact figures at my fingertips but Toorak is the most expensive suburb in Melbourne with median prices between $1-$2 mill - a two bedroomed townhouse or flat will cost close to $1 million. South Yarra is consistently the second most expensive suburb - but cheaper than Toorak although closer to the CBD by a mile or so. Prahran adjoins both of these and is very 'trendy' these days. The shops in Chapel Street and the market are extremely popular. Prices will be lower than the other two but still pricey.

Carlton is a different suburb. It is right next to the CBD to the north and is a mixture of students (Melbourne Uni where I went, RMIT etc nearby), those with money wanting inner city living, etc. In the past it was popular with Italian migrants (most of whom had to move out as the 'money' moved in) but the legacy is the brilliant cafes and restaurants centred around Lygon Street.

I would think Carlton prices average out lower than the other 3 but that may be due to the student population. You can find some very expensive property there because of the proximity to the CBD, nightlife, eateries etc. Carlton also has the Exhibition Buildings and gardens, the Museum, the Imax (world's largest cinema screen) and lots of other attractions.

Kew is what I call an 'old money' suburb. Generally very pricey, lovely old homes (many 'English' homes) in tree lined boulevards with plenty of parkland, private schools etc. It is about 5 miles to the east of the CBD whereas Toorak/South Yarra/Prahran are a little closer to the south east.

In all 5 you can probably forget about the car a lot and use public transport.

Good Luck

OzTennis

Caroline G

OzTennis,

Thanks, for the suburb information. Tried getting a map off the net of Melbourne and it's suburbs. I seem to be either getting an intricate street map or a massive zoom out covering the whole of the Melbourne area

Thinking I must go out and buy a map from WHSmith but just before I do are you aware of any good maps detailing the suburbs on the net? Hope if there are any I don't need the scissors and glue to piece them together.

Thanks
Caroline

natalie

Thanks for the advice!!!!!

Natalie

OzTennis

Caroline

I have a Melbourne and Suburbs City Map from the RACV (Royal Automobile Club of Victoria) which you can pick up free from any RACV outlet - in Victoria! They have a website and maps are mentioned but I'm not sure if you need to be a member or whether they are available on the net. Try:

http://maps.racv.com.au/index.jsp

Also have a look at http://www.visitvictoria.com

And do a search on Melways, UBD and Gregory's who publish the street directories. I'll see if I can turn up any online maps myself and if so will post details here in due course.

OzTennis

noodle

Hi Caroline

Try www.whereis.com. for a map of Australia, you can zoom in and out! Good luck

Noodle.x

koala_mac

Cheers OzTennis, much appreciated. I sort of knew those areas were pricey, but digging around on the property websites there are some reasonable properties around our price bracket, either renting or buying (and I don't mean $1m) - so I reckon we'll take a wander on our fact-finding mission next year and see if these are the dog-ends of the posh property world!

I was interested in Carlton because it's where I was born, and last time I was there I liked the feel (and the fab Italian food shops!!). I think that may be where we end up, for a while anyway - I quite like the idea of walking to work, if we can find jobs

Maybe Kew when we grow up

Thanks for all your help - font of Melbourne suburb info!

K_M

OzTennis

No worries, good luck. Totally agree on Carlton being vibrant, close to CBD, leave the car at home, nip down to the Queen Victoria Market etc. I wouldn't say it is the dog-ends of the posh property market either.

Strangely, on STV last night there was the travel program Scottish Passport and they had a segment on Melbourne and yes, you've guessed it they were in Lygon Street, Carlton and the presenter loved it there. Also showed him having coffee and cakes in the well known one beginning with B - so well known I've forgotten it! Brushcetti's or something like that.

I have very fond memories of Carlton because as I said I was at Melbourne Uni and used to pop over to Carlton often. Jimmy Watson's was a favourite haunt of the students as was the University Cafe. There's also Dimattina's which is great - and has the added attraction in that Paul Dimattina who just retired from the Western Bulldogs (my team) runs it with his brothers. Nice reminiscing and a pleasure to help out in any way I can.

Good luck with the move.

Just to throw in another option if Carlton appeals from being close to the action - does Docklands appeal? We have a friend who just bought an apartment there and he absolutely loves it.

OzTennis