Gill73

My husband has been in contact with BMW Melbourne and they say they would be interested in employing him as a mechanic when we eventually arrive. We have a RRV. We've only just started to consider a move to Melbourne and we've never been there. Can anyone give us advice on good area we should look at for a family of 4 (children are 12 and 5 years old). we would have a budget of between $500 to $600k, depending on our earnings. Can anyone also advise which areas we should avoid. I've had a quick look at new builds in the Cranbourne area, but the prices seem cheap so is this not a good area? All advice is much appreciated as I've no idea where to start with this!!

roaringmouse

Where in Melbourne might he be working? That's an important factor. It's also a good idea to rent for a while first before deciding definite places to look to buy.

On a sidepoint, with Cranbourne it depends exactly where - for slightly "better" areas look towards Narre Warren (or NW South), and for "better" than that look towards Berwick, although certain areas are more sought after than others in Berwick.

OzTennis

If he is literally going to work at BMW Melbourne that's in Southbank - i.e. on the south edge of the CBD. I personally wouldn't want to live in the outer south eastern burbs (Cranbourne, NW etc mentioned) and commute for probably over an hour each way but that's one reason why the housing is cheap there.

Your budget will get an average house in Melbourne so as a rule of thumb it won't be enough for closer to CBD on east and south side but will stretch to closer in on north and west.

Just do a search in domain.com.au or realestate.com.au with your preferred number of bedrooms, bathrooms, min and max price and try some suburbs.

For example, try Point Cook, Sanctuary Lakes, Wyndham Vale etc out west. You'll get a very good house for that budget, you won't be a huge distance away from work, city, there's plenty of new schools, shopping centres etc. The City of Wynhham which includes all of these is the fastest growing municipality in the whole of Australia. That brings its issues and it isn't everyone's cup of tea but there must be a reason why it's going ahead so rapidly.

That's good advice to consider renting to begin with to get a feel. You could allocate say $300/$400 a week for a year or so until you get the lie of the land and explore some areas. Might be a good investment in the long run and there's a possibility of saving to cover the rent.

Buzzy--Bee

Hi Gill, for that budget you will probably be going North or West or in the outer Eastern suburbs, but a lot depends on what you want. In our area (Mordialloc/Parkdale) you would either get a very dilapidated house on a 500m2+ block or a new townhouse with no garden. Both would cost around 600k if you were lucky.

BB

ozzieeagle

Problem I have advising is I would come at this as a Melburnian or Aussie rather than a UK ex pat, such is the time I've lived here. I hate the new build areas with a passion and see them as soulless... whereas a new UK migrant may love the open space and the lay out of new builds.

For the same price as a new build you can possibly afford a very decent doer upper in Fawkner. (400 to 500K) Why Fawkner.... It's Zone 1, very important in Melbourne only 12 K's from the CBD. Its very established not rough at all, It has that great cross section of people that makes Melbourne the interesting place it is.
It has two problems from the OP's point of view.... It's definitely not the Australian dream as far as UK migrants are concerned, and schooling could be an issue... with the Local Catholic school being your best bet... However with gentrification sneaking it's way into that locale, the local primary school Moomba Park should not be dismissed with plenty of young professionals (the ones that can't afford Coburg/Preston now) kids starting there.

The 12YO's schooling could be an issue though as you would be zoned into not so good secondary schools up there.... Such as Reservoir, Merrilands, and Boxforest.... However if a Catholic school is acceptable then you'll be fine. Oh if the 12yo is a Girl then Pascoe Vale Girls is supposedly a very good school and you'll be able to get in there.

Fawkner is definitely not a UK migrants dream though. Although from a foot up on the financial ladder POV probably one of the moves you could make, Property gain wise.

Edit Oh and your husband would be gaining at least 5 hours back in his life back a week in less commuting time ... at circa 31 mins travelling time to Flinders st and a short walk across the footbridge to work..... Compared to over an hour from Cranbourne.

Zone one means so much to the average Melburnian that it will definitely go ahead. Fawkner would probably be of far more appeal to an Aussie moving interstate from Sydney or maybe Brisbane.

Caviet if you can afford well over 600K plus then it's a totally different story.

Last say, I would find life very difficult and not to my taste at all in somewhere like Cranbourne.... Which is why I've posted.

asher

Don't look at point cook the commute is terrible and facilities are few and far between

GarryP

I think most UK people would look at the 'characterful' melbourne houses and think "what a shack, it hasn't been seriously touched since it was built, and it's in the middle of a nothing neighbourhood. They want HOW much?"

I don't think they hold any attraction for the typical Brit - our 50 year old houses are better than their 50 years old houses, and if you really want antiques you can go to a few hundred years with ease.

Nowhere in melbourne has a good commute, and Point Cook suffers from growing faster than the infrastructure. However, it is possible to get the train in in 20mins, something you won't afford in the east. They are even talking about a ferry service into the CBD ( http://www.wyndhamweekly.com.au/stor...tudy-positive/ )

Facilities are fine, and I'd personally say its more a safe, family environment than many areas in the east.

Buzzy--Bee

Doesn't it take a long time to get to the train though, on account of the traffic?

BB

ozzieeagle

Mine is now a fully modernised, insulated, newly roofed, newly stumped, new bathrooms new extension,, new flooring, Victorian 3bed Weatherboard with Landscaped Gardens... 8Ks from the CBD... looks pretty good even if I so so myself

Only reason I say the above, is everyone is doing up their older houses around here... you get into trendy Brunswick and pay 7 figures for a place like mine. Plenty of them are done up and look really good. I think you'll find Carlton is one of the best places for Victorian architecture in the Southern Hemisphere..... but they come at a price.

Fawkner doesn't really have the older houses, but it does have the proximity and would come across as you say.

GarryP

My problem is you get this


which has been done out inside, but is still a 2 bed shack, on the market for over half a million in Brunswick.

In comparison this 4 bed


in Point Cook, which costs the same.

Now how many people coming from the UK are going to pick option 1 over option 2?

ozzieeagle

Hardly any I would think..... Hence my point about Aussies.... I think most Urban Aussies would pick No 1.... They like to ride their bikes or walk to the plentyful Cafe's and Restaurants..... As for me personally I'd probably rather go back to the UK than live in the Outer Burbs.... but thats just my taste thats all.

GarryP

But that's another of the strange things. People talk of 'the outer burbs' like they are another planet. Yet as anyone who's lived in London will attest, it's much easier, quicker and hassle free to get into Melbourne CBD than it is to get into London. Hell, 'the outer burbs' correspond to somewhere like Putney in London terms, and nobody is going to say that's too rural and out of it to enjoy the benefits of the city.

Could/should the aussie cities be better infrastructurewise - YES!
Are the native perceptions warped somewhat by the history and fast growth - also yes!
Can Brits take advantage of aussie's desires to own (and overvalue) shacks - too right!

ozzieeagle

Where the Aussies and myself included in that after 33 years here, want to live is guided mostly by location. Can you talk to 40 restaurants or more and 10 drinking holes ... and thats just Coburg, or more thus negating the need for a taxi or having no drinks Not to mention the longest shopping strip in Aussie.

When it's there on your doorstep one tends to partake. Plus we only 'need' one car... although we do have two and I will admit you would probably need 2 in Fawkner.

But I do take your point, Most "New" UK people wouldn't choose here.... for the first 10 years at least Then you tend to see them moving in, as they can afford it,

ozzieeagle

I dont think you can do it in less than 50 mins.... door to door. 15 mins drive to Hoppers and 35 mins on the train..... according to maps and metlink. Which isnt bad from Hoppers as it's 31 mins on the train from Fawkner.... but you can probably walk to Fawkner station from anywhere in that burb.

Not that I really advocate Fawkner for new arrivals ..... it's just a suggestion for grabbing a higher place on the future property ladder and being close to the city..... Great for interstate movers.

GarryP

You can (I do), but you have to have things lined up, at the right time of day.Not sure how long it would take to cycle there, but you could probably cut through in a comparable time to the car.

They open the new Williams Landing station at the end of the month, and the talk is they will enhance the express type services to further speed things up.