EssexNobby

Hi all,

Can anyone offer some advice on where to settle in Brisbane ?

We're planning on making the visa validation trip to Brisbane in August and we've been spending the last few months going through just about every Brisbane related web site there is (at least it feels like we have ).

We're looking for a good place to raise my son (10 years old). I'm not interested in living in the city but I will probably need to commute their for work so max 1 hr drive would be good. I'd like to live somewhere reasonably quiet and safe with a good school and also with other young families nearby so that my son can make friends. I'm looking for a house with land (min 1 acre) as I'm fed up living within spitting distance of my neighbours here in the UK .

Time and time again I keep getting drawn back to Samford. From what I've read it seems to offer everthing that we all want, coupled with the fact that the house prices look really good.

Can anyone offer any advice. Maybe some of you live in or near Samford and can tell us what it's REALLY like ?.

I read about Samford Downs, but the thought of an estate kind of puts me off, but maybe I need to stop thinking about UK housing estates as I guess that it's nothing like that ?

Any help greatly appreciated. Anyone from Brisbane who chips in with advice will get a pint of beer from us when we get there this summer

ABCDiamond

I went for a drive around Samford about a year ago, its a very nice area. Samford Village is like a real village. Plenty of open space.

We were interested in it ourselves, but decided to go near the water, to get the breezes.

I suppose a combination of the two areas would be very nice

Timber Floor Au

We personally love , Chambers Flat, wont say why its a kinda fall in love with place, i think alot of ppl are attracted to the beaches or the burbs affect, we seek solitude with reality at elbows length if you know what i mean,
Im currently researching the over 100 suburbs+ for the website, only done newstead and algester so far but north east suburbs tend to attract more poms, hence we r heading south LOL good luck, if you want any help just ask or visit the site , sheesh its takin longer than i thought but its lookin OKish !

MrsDagboy

I have bitten my tongue so hard that its now bleeding .

DMF & a couple of others live at Samford & western sububs, they can probably tell you what its like out that way, especially on Friday when its expected to hit 40 degrees in Brisbane.

JaneandJim

As Mrs Dagboy has said before, to anybody coming out here from the UK, hot is hot. 40 degrees out west of Brisbane is not going to feel a lot hotter then 37 bayside!

Also, don't those sea breezes depend on the wind coming from the sea? When we were at Wynnum last weekend, the wind was from the land. i.e. warm!

However, Samford is in a valley so it will trap the heat in making it even worse. Then again, air-con fixes the problem wherever you are! (Providing they don't restrict it!)

Jane

MrsDagboy

Jane, its true, to a newly arrived, hot is hot. But I know that I would rather be bayside where it is usually around 33-34 rather than west where its very often around 40.

Were you at Wynnum in the morning or afternoon Jane? Its very unusual for the breeze to be coming from the west down here, especially in the afternoon, there is almost always a cooling sea breeze. You must have struck a bad day .

JaneandJim

It was in the afternoon, on a Sunday just after the storm. We passed miles of traffic going to the dump with trailers full of trees!

We went to Manly first because Dad has been looking for a new boat and we took some pictures of a few he could buy. He's gone and bought one in England now, so Jim can't sail one back for him!

EssexNobby

Thanks for the info, some very useful tips on Samford, but sounds like we need to look out for severe heat exhaustion if we end up in there

Actually the heat doesn't bother me, growing up in the Caribbean and spending recent extended summer holidays in Dubai (the mercury touches 50 degrees c there ! ouch !). If we can get a place with aircon then I reckon that we'll have an escape from the heat.

We're budgeting on a max of £250k for a 3 or 4 bedroom place with min 1 acre of land in (or near) Samford. Does anyone know if this is realistic or are we way under budget and would be better off with a caravan . We've been looking on property sites and it looks like might be able to get what we are searching for, but some "real" unbiased info from Brisbane settlers would be great rather than relying on Real Estate web sites

dmf

We have been in Samford since last Sept. so are still relatively new to the area. The prices have gone sky high since last Sept. There are lots of village blocks (smaller ones) being sold off at the moment and they are very very expensive but you are paying the for location as they are so close to the village and amenities.

The village itself is a friendly village with everything you need. No complaints about the school (state) so far - the children settled straight away. It is a big school (900 children) but very well organised.

It is a pretty area with nice houses, lots of bigger blocks. You need to be in the right place at the right time to buy a house that comes onto the market. The houses sell very quickly - the ones that correctly priced that is. Living out here you have to be prepared for the wildlife! It takes some time to get used to. Snakes are a weekly occurence, water dragons (big lizards), spiders, frogs (in the toilets!), cane toads ...........

So far as the temperature is concerned in September we were cold (first thing and late at night). The week before Christmas was the first hot heat and we have had quite a few days of high temperatures. The heat really slows you down. We are fortunate as we do have air con and a pool. It amazes me how the children seem to cope well with the heat.

Friday here is forecast to be real hot. When the temperature drops from being so hot though you do feel cold and cover up. We still have a duvet on the bed at night as by 4am we are chilly in bed (we don't run the air con at night).

Hope this gives you some pointers. I am sure there is more I could say but can't think of anything.

Dawn

EssexNobby

Thanks Dawn - some excellent info, especially as it comes from someone who has settled there.

Any idea what our £250k budget will buy us ?. Do you think that we'll be able to get the 3/4 bed place with 1 acre or are we shooting way too high ?

Thanks

brisbane bronco

My sister lives at Samford but on the side of a hill, north of the village centre so the breezes help. Samford is part flat and part between hills. The higher up, the better the breeze.

Consider also that the cheaper Bne houses are mostly constructed from less weather resistant materials than UK houses. To fight the Bne heat you need big windows/doors, a verandah, hopefully aircon and a cold stubbie or three.

Samford is lovely though. If you love pursuits like walking, cycling or horseriding you'll be in your element. Because you have to car travel over a large hill to get there from urban Bne, the yobs don't seem to make the trip. It is kind of like outside the M25 county split.

Hope this helps. If you want more local info, email me your address.

regs

Timber Floor Au

Dont forget the chipshop and the irish PUB !!!!

EssexNobby

Chips and beer !, I think that this Essex boy has found a new home.

Thanks all

scrawni

We stayed not far from Samford and we loved it too. I don't think we will be able to afford to live there which is a shame.

My husband's cousin who sells houses around the samford area will keep an eye out for us of course. He sent us some info on a few houses which were lovely but still to pricey for us.

Also, as someone has said you have to drive over the hills to get to Brisbane, which is nice but I can imagine it may bug some people after a while.

Mandy

EssexNobby

Thanks everyone for the helpful advice. We've now decided that we're definitely going to have a mooch around Samford when it comes to the Visa validation visit. Sounds quite hopeful