plantpot

What's it like?

Public transport links, type of neighbourhood....Is it yawnsville? Or vibrant or neither?

Katherined0

Ryde: not far from anywhere -- but not that near to anything either.

Well served by public buses. North Ryde is due to get it's own train station by Xmas (but dont hold your breath)It's pretty central and has a good road network which makes it easy to get to most areas of Sydney. But on the downside you cant go far without encountering a toll road. (but these can be avoided if you choose) There is a mix of housing with lots of new properties being built. It's a well establised suburb. It's good for families with good parks, cycle tracks etc. There is a fair sized shopping centre in the McQuarie Centre with a range of shops and well as a number of smaller shopping areas serving the different parts of Ryde. A new shopping complex is also due to open at Top Ryde ( by Xmas 2009)

There's not a vibrant entertainment Centre as such -- but it's 20 mins into the CBD and 10-15mins into Balmain with a choice of bars/clubs etc. There is a cinema in the McQuarie shopping centre as well as an ice-rink (random!)

A 30 min dash through the city toll roads will get you to Maroubra Beach -- and Mona Vale/Northern Beaches is about 40 mins - 1hr away depending on the traffic!

We like living here. We feel safe and part of a community. But Ryde has lots of different areas: North Ryde/East Ryde/ West Ryde/ Top Ryde/Ryde and each of these have their own character.....

There's quite alot of devlopment in terms of houses being rebuilt (good sized plots) and lots of business opportunities.... North Ryde was listed as one of the up and coming suburbs in the Sydney Morning Hearald report on housing.....

Hope this helps! Just my opinions obviously!!!

Wilgar

Of your two limited categories I`d say `yawnsville` BUT this is the area to invest in. Well located,close to CBD & currently transport links are not excellent but will improve and its a short hop to Epping which will soon have the Chatswood link. Property prices vary but investment wise this is a great spot. What were you particularly interested in.?
BTW I don`t live in Ryde but s-i-l does and OH works there.

neilk

Depends exactly which part of Ryde. North Ryde is easy to get to and from downtown, West Ryde has buses and trains and Central Ryde or what they call Ryde has buses but you don't want to rely on them. Not that they are not timely but Victoria Road gets too busy and hopeless Labor govt won't do anything about it. My pick is West Ryde, nice and close to downtown (40 mins on slow and ~30 mins on fast train) and driving distance to Parramatta, Homebush Stadium and new shopping centre coming up etc etc....

Katherined0

Neilk is right but the same could be said of North Ryde -- especially when the new railway opens..... and Epping Road is maybe slightly less of a bottle neck than Victoria Road?????????

paddyo

For Ryde and all its areas....think Reading!!!

E3only

With immigration on the rise and the rail opening promised for year
i wont be holding my breath here !!!

Katherined0

Have you lived here Paddy, know someone who does -- or just passed through????

plantpot

Immigration? You mean there are loads of Brits there?


PP

Katherined0

Not really. I would say it's a well established area. Like many parts of Sydney there are lots of immigrants -- but Brits, Koreans, Chinese, NZ, other European etc etc etc. At my kids school there are quite a number whose families have been in the area forever as well as a variety of other nationalities.

I suspect E3 only was commenting on my reference to Epping Road and just the expanding population of Sydney in general meaning that the roads are becoming busier........

paddyo

Kat, no, hearsay only, but....reading your post further down makes me think I am entirely correct!!
I have passed through many times....and glad I have done so.
Listen, you like where you live, who on earth is gonna say I live in a sh*thole!!!

plantpot

O Paddyo you might be cruising for a bruising mate

paddyo

Why??? I am only being honest!
I live in Manly, been through Ryde many times...it is not for me!!
If people like it then great, but its a suburb with no soul...prove me wrong!!!

Katherined0

The poster asked for advice. I gave it as I see it. As you did. All I was doing was pointing out that you havent lived here and I have. Surely that makes me better placed to comment than somebody who has probably only ever been on The Epping Road, Victoria Road or Lane Cove Road.....
If we had the money to live in a big house with harbour views would we? Of Course. However, you cut your cloth to fit, and we are very happy living here.

paddyo

You are quite right of course Katherine! I also wish I had the money to live in a big house with Harbour views!! WE have a great apartment with FANTASTIC views but it is overpriced because of that, renting of course, couldn't afford to live here!! But, it was my wifes choice so had to bow to her needs...as all us men do!!!