I thinking of getting my first place. The house prices are unreachable currently so I'm looking into apartment or town house. Should I get a town house with backyard in Ingleburn/campbelltown area for around 450k or a small 2 bd flat in meadow bank/Ryde for 550k?
Can you suggest also any forums where I can get more of an idea on property purchasing?
Not sure whether to buy now since all the off the plan apartment are just finishing in Sydney West?
Townhouses are more likely to appreciate than apartments.
It also depends on where are you working now and intended to work in the future, the two option you mention is totally different location wise.
I live in Ingleburn and I love it. We live in a small house.
I can not imagine going back to live in a dense area such as Ryde, let alone living in a unit in Ryde.
Where do you work and how long does it take you to travel each day (1 / both ways)?
I work in Mascot / City / Chatswood, mostly in Mascot.
It takes me:
All by train. Don't even bother driving.
Now I know your daily routine……… HAHA!
Recently I had to drive to Camden twice from the Sydney CBD where I work. It took me 3.5 hours return both times between 11pm to 4pm and 12pm to 4:30pm. I can't imagine I have to go through that daily for at least 5 days a week. Life style and open space doesn't bother me. Just the daily travel would be a nightmare especially when you are tired and driving for that long period of time.
Yeah well the M5 is notorious for traffic. That's why I take the train lol.
It depends on where you work really. If you live near the town house then I don't see why you want to travel all the way there from Meadow Bank.
Most people sacrifice their life style, time and daily work travel for a better house.
Wife works in five dock
There is your dilemma! Meadow Bank to Five Dock is like 10-20 minutes drive away compared to over an hour from Cambelltown. I think that will be your biggest problem. The daily long commute. If your wife had to do it day in day out make sure she can handle it. Also if you have kids or going to have kids take that into consideration too.
Yeah… if your partner works in Five Dock 5 days a week (presumed), out Campbelltown/Ingleburn way will make very long car trips. Five Dock doesn't have great train options either (will be train + bus).
Kids on the other hand, generally much happier with larger space/backyard etc.
Just my opinion, I wouldn't buy brand new or recently (<10-15yrs) built apartments. With the boom in units/developers there are a lot of dodgy new apartments in recent years. I've been advised to do the homework on the developer, and do the homework on the Strata meetings and any unusual repairs (for a newly built apartment), legal challenges etc etc.
Your ultimate goal should be "happy wife, happy life". Cater for that and you'll save yourself a lifetime or few years of headache when it counts the most i.e. just after buying property you realize that wife can't handle the commute and it bites even more after kids start going to daycare for way longer hours than yourselves at work.
I guess it really depends upon choice of living. Personally I don`t like living in unit due to limit space for kids and perosnal outdoor entertaining area.
Townhouse would at least provide you some space.