British Expats - Suburbs to Live in Melbourne

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Re: Suburbs to Live in Melbourne

Some great answers!

Quote:

Originally Posted by roaringmouse (Post 10710826)

Berwick is a nice area on the whole, however during peak times the train will take around 1 hour.

It takes 1hr off peak too. It takes 40min to drive offpeak, maybe 1-1.5 hrs in peak..

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kiwikaye (Post 10710986)

I agree with roaringmouse. Berwick is a long way out from the city and if there's issues with the trains, you have limited alternative options to get home. Its ok as a suburb I think (never lived there). If its just the two of you, I would be more inclined to look for a decent flat or townhouse closer in to town. For the money you're looking to spend, have a look at Malvern/East Malvern, Chadstone, Carnegie (might be a bit dearer), St Kilda East.

If you want new-build type property then areas like Berwick are ok, but personally coming to a new city/country, I would prefer to be much closer to the city and have more options for things to do at the weekends, etc.

I agree - unless you are starting a family and can't afford to be closer.

Quote:

Originally Posted by roaringmouse (Post 10711722)

It's not all new build in Berwick ;)

Old Berwick is still the best suburban part of the outer SE in my opinion and always has been - but it is being diluted by the building this last 10 years. To be honest, some of the SE is becoming a bit of a hole. Much is made of a true Berwick address, and I recommend the old section to the north of the highway. There are other options in the villages around to the north if acreage takes your fancy. Another story in itself.

Quote:

Originally Posted by GarryP (Post 10711794)

That has got to be one of the dodgiest surveys I've ever seen. To be taken not with a pinch, but with an entire mountain of salt. God knows what their methodology was - its telling they don't say.

To the op, a few factors:

How UK expats view housing and desirability is significantly different to how aussies view it. Therefore if you are smart there are quite a few opportunities to take advantage of that difference, avoiding the stupidly expensive and picking out options the aussies would turn their noses up at.
The standard of original building, upkeep, etc. on aussie houses is not good, the older it gets generally the shabbier it gets - but aussies love 'established' suburbs and for some reason put up with draughty, uninsulated hovels because there's a cafe at the end of the street. Go figure.

Agreed with the points, but to be honest, most locals choose inner in for a reason the quality of life probably is better - education, travel, commute times, infrastructure, culture. There is a degree of stigma to the suburbs. I would rather live in a hovel than in a new build out SE. You're right that British migrants see things differently - they tend to see new builds in outer estates as immensely exciting and some may regret it - especially as apparently the build quality is not so good.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Petals (Post 10711865)

For me its all about the infrastructure that is in place now, not in the future, future infrastructure does not always happen in Melbourne.

Lived in look where I can see people walking, driving, riding around not too pristine to see a soul as they are so busy paying off the mortgage.

Which is one of the problems in all suburban Australia, well anywhere.
In fact this can happen in all suburbs as it is all so expensive - but at least coffee bars can get people out.

It's a bit of a double whammy for the people with huge mortgages in the outer burbs, high mortgages, low infrastructure and lack of community.

Re: Suburbs to Live in Melbourne

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kiwikaye (Post 10710986)

For your budget of $350-450 a week, you will only get a flat/maisonette in Malvern (postcode 3144) and possibly a house in East Malvern (postcode 3145) but nearer Chadstone (near big shopping mall) or Warrigal Road (major road). Malvern and parts of Malvern East are serviced by train and trams. Carnegie (train only) is definately cheaper than the first 2 mentioned suburbs as it's on the other side of the Dandenong Road as is St Kilda East. SKE is okay but you need to know you're not encroaching Balaclava as this is very run down. Caulfield and Elsternwick are ones to look for too and again cheaper than Malvern. Both Caulfield (has train and partial tram) and Elsternwick (has tram & train) are quite Jewish. There's Ashburton as well. It has a reasonable High Street and is serviced by 2 different train lines. Do you know Melbourne?

Re: Suburbs to Live in Melbourne

[QUOTE=GarryP;10711794]That has got to be one of the dodgiest surveys I've ever seen. To be taken not with a pinch, but with an entire mountain of salt. God knows what their methodology was - its telling they don't say.

This was a repeat of a 2005 survey and was first commissioned because the Economist Intelligence Unit in London ranked Melbourne as the world's most liveable city by their criteria and so it was thought worthwhile trying to rank the most liveable suburbs in the most liveable city.

The 2005 and 2011 studies used 14 criteria and if you read it you will get a flavour of what these are:

Provision of cafes/restaurants, shopping, schools and culture, crime rate, open space, transport (proximity to tram, train and bus), congestion on roads (or lack thereof), proximity to coast and city, property prices etc.

Liveability is necessarily a subjective thing but people like OP and millions of residents want to know what are the 'best' and 'worst' suburbs ;)

Re: Suburbs to Live in Melbourne

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrsA (Post 10710661)

Budget wise for rental we would be looking between AUS 350 - 450 ideally....lower if possible. We would probably rent long term as we would wait a while until we sold our property in the UK.

Thanks
MrsA

In our area, Mordialloc/Parkdale, that budget for a long term rental would get you a new 2 bed house or a older 3 bed. We're about 40 mins from the city by train or driving.

BB

Re: Suburbs to Live in Melbourne

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buzzy--Bee (Post 10712213)

In our area, Mordialloc/Parkdale, that budget for a long term rental would get you a new 2 bed house or a older 3 bed. We're about 40 mins from the city by train or driving.

BB

So how much would a one bed cost ya to rent in town,like Coburg or near the childrens hospital ?

Re: Suburbs to Live in Melbourne

I know of a decent two-bedroom single front to rent in Coburg for mid-$300's per week

Re: Suburbs to Live in Melbourne

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kiwikaye (Post 10712253)

I know of a decent two-bedroom single front to rent in Coburg for mid-$300's per week

Cheers but won't be there until ? feb next year:thumbup:

Re: Suburbs to Live in Melbourne

Here's a good resource with pics and info on some Melbourne suburbs to get an idea of what they are like:

http://www.travelvictoria.com.au/regions/melbourne/

Click on the photos tab at the top after selecting a suburb.

Re: Suburbs to Live in Melbourne

Hi Everyone

Wow...thanks for so much advice/information. Lots more internet searches and reading to do I think.

Many thanks
MrsA

Re: Suburbs to Live in Melbourne

Quote:

Originally Posted by asher (Post 10711798)

Probably a good thing to do is rent short term accommodation near where you will be working and try out the commutes and find a place you like based on that and whether you like the feel of the suburb.

We did a lot of research on nice suburbs but found the commute would be very long in rush hour, we ended up somewhere we hadn't even considered.
Good luck with your search I hope you find somewhere that makes you happy.:thumbsup:

Best advice here, we ended up somewhere I hadn't heard of from the UK, with your commute time, add on driving to station, parking(and check if station is free or paid), walking to train and then the walk to the office the other end, this turned the commute from Berwick into 1 hr 20, so we discounted it but its a lovely area, really lovely Main Street. If we had come over without kids we would be in the city, it's vibrant, so much going on.

Good luck!

Re: Suburbs to Live in Melbourne

Quote:

Originally Posted by GarryP (Post 10711794)

How UK expats view housing and desirability is significantly different to how aussies view it. Therefore if you are smart there are quite a few opportunities to take advantage of that difference, avoiding the stupidly expensive and picking out options the aussies would turn their noses up at.
The standard of original building, upkeep, etc. on aussie houses is not good, the older it gets generally the shabbier it gets - but aussies love 'established' suburbs and for some reason put up with draughty, uninsulated hovels because there's a cafe at the end of the street. Go figure.
As far as commute time is concerned, this map may help (http://www.railmaps.com.au/melbourn.htm ). Print it out and you can draw a line around journey times. Mind, the accuracy can be iffy with new services etc. (eg it says 40mins for me, but rush hour services run express and therefore take 20mins). For car journeys google maps can give you an idea, but be aware that infrastructure investment isn't fast enough and jams can double or more journey times everywhere. Perhaps the smartest move is to not get a job in the CBD - that opens lots of options.
Geelong is too far.
As well as the realestate sites, use Google Streetview to take a virtual look around potential prospects.
People will try to push you towards the south and east, but most of the affordable spots tend to be a long way out, and the ones further in suffer from points 1 & 2. Development is directed at the West and North (and consequently that's where a lot of new rentals are), but point 3 means the infrastructure takes a while to catch up. Personally when I looked around the S&E suburbs they did nothing for me, but there were better options in the W. You will know the relative weightings of the factors for you.

Haha nice bit of spruiking for living out in the bland West.

Re: Suburbs to Live in Melbourne

Footscray is way up that likeability list. I'm surprised it's as high actually, but I've always maintained on these forums it's liveablility. I doubt if it will fall at all and possibly slowly increase.

If I were to move within Melbourne, Footscray would be very close to top of my list of places to move to. I've got to admit the station and it's happenings are a lot to be desired, but the rest of the place is very interesting and vibrant.

My Perth based Daughter and her Industrial electrician Fiancee have decided to buy as big a place and doer upper as they can in Footscray, after discarding their plans for somewhere around Lorne or Torquay.

I would have also though that Preston would have been in front of my suburb Coburg.... or at least neck and neck, the 40 places difference doesn't sit right with me.

Re: Suburbs to Live in Melbourne

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bernieboy (Post 10712221)

So how much would a one bed cost ya to rent in town,like Coburg or near the childrens hospital ?

You should be able to get a very decent one bedder or an ordinary 2 bedder for 260... If would be a flat or apartment though. If you can find a one bed unit with small back yard around that price then I'd jump at it.... Well have a look at least. Houses and Townhouses at that price are going to be crap if there are any available here in Coburg. Make sure you look near the tram or railway line though or you could end up with a 20 minute walk to transport. Give North Coburg a really good look .... North of Gaffney/Murry Rd's.... Watch out for zone 1 ending though.

Re: Suburbs to Live in Melbourne

Quote:

Originally Posted by ozzieeagle (Post 10714219)

If I was young then yep Footscray would be a good spot to buy into. But at my age I couldn't be bothered to wait for it to get nicer. The village centre still looks very daggy and will for a long time to come.

Re: Suburbs to Live in Melbourne

Quote:

Originally Posted by papilon (Post 10714360)

(born nearby in Williamstown) When I was young Footscray was decidedly white anglo saxon protestant working class territory with a lot of industry nearby and the Maribyrnong River a convenient dumping ground for the waste created by the factory owners living high on the hill in the clean air of Toorak. ;) It has seen many changes since then and has, as the main strip shows, seen a Vietnamese and young professionals influx. There's also been the harrassing of drug pushers in CBD and St Kilda which moved some of the action to Footscray in the 80's/90's.

There has been a 'ripple' effect too as nearby Yarraville and Seddon have been gentrified by younger and middle aged couples (mixed and same gender) looking for period homes to renovate which are close to the city. As a result these suburbs have changed out of all recognition and it is now extending into Footscray as the stock of suitable houses further south starts to dry up. At the same time industry has closed down and many of the former waterfront buildings have been converted into swanky townhouses and flats and lots of new builds with river, racecourse and city views have gone up. Footscray is very up and coming and it's recent record of more than Melbourne median property prices reflects this but it will take time.

There is an amazing range of restaurants and shops to choose from and I can recommend the $5 haircuts from lovely Vietnamese ladies too.:D

Useless information #89 - the world headquarters of Lonely Planet are in a building along the Maribyrnong River in Footscray where many hundreds work.