Hello,
I'm looking to buy a house in the Melbourne South East suburb. My budget is $500K. I am unfamiliar with this part of the city as I'm new to Melbourne. May I have some suggestions on which suburbs are safer ? I have seen a few houses in Hallam, Hampton park and Cranbourne North which fits my budget.
australia is safe
its mostly the politicians that are trying to kill us…
Try Kilsyth/moroolbark, better than south east.
I got a place in Bayswater north for mid 500s, 3 bedder
got a place in Bayswater north for mid 500s, 3 bedder
When?
+1.. mooroolbark and upwey nice safe communities with plenty on offer at a good price (source; family lives nearby in tecoma)
Last month
Doveton isn't the safest but there are pockets in Doveton that are hidden gems and quite safe (north section along Endeavour Hills). Approx. 30 mins drive to the city, approx. 15 mins drive to the beach, 5 -10 mins drive to shopping centres including Dandenong Plaza, Endeavour Hills Shopping Centre, Westfield Fountain Gate as well as Dandenong Market. You can still get some decent blocks (630 sqm+) for 500k. Ideal if you love a decent sized backyard.
Lol @ 30 mins drive to the city. Maybe at 4am on a Sunday in a Bugatti Chiron.
Or may be Uber air taxi…
Fitzroy is great walking/public transport to the city but getting anywhere in a car is, generally, a nightmare. The expression “I wouldn’t start from here” comes to mind.
Closest beach is also 20min drive at 4am on a Sunday morning.
Nowhere in Melbourne is safe to go out for dinner. I know because Mr Dutton told me so.
If it keeps Dutton out of my area then I’m happy to agree with him.
Do you "need" a house? Why not an apartment?
Yeah, nah. Generally houses appreciate better than apartments and you don’t have the body corporate fees. Add in the issues with living on top of each other, communal property and the dodgy stuff coming out with new apartments and I would look hard for a house before I settled for a flat. However, if people are looking for a flat they recommend an older style one in a smaller group and get a check done on the infrastructure.
You raise good points but if you prefer closer to the city living for the same cost as living a long way out, apartments are perfect. Also just because you own a house doesn't mean you pay 0 maintenance, body corp fees are basically maintenance of the building and insurance of the building, both of which you pay if you own a house. Agree new apartment quality is getting bad reports. I live in a 20 year old one and it is well made and it has a good neighbourhood feel where everyone chats and helps out.
Sounds like you are pretty well setup. I have big reservations about the current crop of ultra high rise flats; where do people even start if a major issue arises, like the dodgy cladding. Hundreds of people in the same building all trying to coexist. It will be interesting to see what they will be like in 20 years.
@casho: Absolutely agree, as indicated above.
I don’t know how anyone has the cohones, or ovaries, to buy a property today. We were a tad skittish when we bought our place and we were talking a lot less money than now and jobs were more secure. When we started our entry was a one of a pair in Glen Huntly for roughly $90,000. Our “forever home” is a warehouse we converted in Fitzroy in 1994/96. Putting a cool million down on a property would give me hives.
Look at this prior thread about the same topic which has lots more comments about the actual suburbs.
https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/283055
I know I had a comment there which I can't be bothered typing up again.
As someone who has lived in a few of these SE suburbs and works in the CBD for the past 16yrs I think i'm qualified to make a comment. And I catch the train to work from Hallam (not the greatest but you get used to it - I sure wouldn't be driving all that way especially with my roadraging abilities).
Lived in Endeavour Hills for around 10yrs, moved to Narre Warren South (5yrs) and now in Narre Warren North (1yr).
Endeavour Hills is a great suburb and I rank it highly. Friendly, safe & peaceful (generally) - doesn't have hoons, has a great shopping centre (Aldi,Coles & Woolies all in a small mall). I've liked this area (mind I've been around here since 20 so I could be biased. It is slow (if you're looking at entertainment?) and yes, house prices haven't risen as highly as other places but if you're looking at living there then go for it. You could get something for $450k but tbh it'll be like finding a needle in a haystack.
Narre Warren South - We bought a house 5yrs ago for 500k but I'm sure you can pick up a 3bed or even 4 if you're lucky for the $450k mark (maybe so don't quote me). It's an okay suburb but no privacy (we could literally hear our neighbours sneeze) and road's are too narrow, congested. A lot of hoons as kids who were raised there are now teens/early twenties who like to go fast and/or have parties on weekends.
Narre Warren North - we bought here as for us it's the best environment for kids + livestyle but well out of your budget unfortunately. We actually bought close to the Endeavour Hills border as we're still close to the EH shopping centre + hallam station (how I get to work) - and also have the same community feel of EH's.
My opinions about suburbs I haven't lived in (but obviously have friends/relo's living here):
Doveton - low socio economic area with new migrants generally and older/smaller houses. Lots of burglaries and you have to be careful walking late at night here - same goes for Dandenong proper. Worth it if you're investing in property to rent but not worth it to raise kids/family, just for generally safety.
Hampton Park - has gotten better (wouldn't say gentrified) but lower socio economic crowd + young families have grown up - similar to Narre Warren South but a little bit "rougher". Okay at the end of the day and potentially an option for you.
Hallam - have friends & people from my childs school live here. I generally pass by this suburb every day and whilst stopping at Hungry Jacks can't say much on it. I'd rank it higher than Narre South & Hampton Park.
Berwick - good suburb, probably the same as Narre North but a bit further out again. Not sure about pricing though at your range.
Beaconsfield may be an option - larger lots & has it's own station.
At the end of the day, it's up to you and your lifestyle. For us, we wanted a ginormous house and an acre to do lots of stuff with (it'll happen one day) + privacy + having family nearby. If you're after a family feel and safety, look at my suggestions & weigh it with what others recommend. Family &/or friends is actually something worth treasuring more than I realised - hence why I'd suggest keeping close to them.
My 2c - in a very lengthy post. :)
Thanks Baysew.
Khomeini@ I am looking to invest now and then relocate to Melbourne, not sure if you can suggest suburbs (north/south/east/west) which is 30 minutes from cbd if you travel by public transport during peak hours. It needs to have good public transport, hospital, school and safe for children. Minimum 3 bedroom with budget of $650k. Townhouse,Villa and house ok but no apartment.
Hey Sydboy. I'm by no means a seasoned investor, I'd just listed some suburbs I'd lived/living in.
Keep in mind that these suburbs I'd listed are about 50 mins by public transport from the CBD. By car on peak hour, it's roughly an hour (or more).
Most of Melbourne is overpriced sadly and I really doubt you can pick up something within 30 mins of it - maybe 45-50 mins you can. South, SouthEastern, Northern suburbs are generally okay (but more costly due to having existing infrastructure)… Western may be your goto as it has newer developments.
If you haven't already, go to realestate.com.au and do a map search with the filters you want (I just had a look) and there are pockets which, if I were investing, would look at closely - perhaps areas like Greensborough, Rosanna, Montmorency, Bundoora (uni's/hospitals, relatively safe etc…). Also look at inner-western suburbs like Footscray - it's getting gentrified (slowly) and in 5yrs time who knows.
Obviously people who actually live there would know more.
Hope that helps :)
Buying a house in the majority of Melbourne suburbs is robbery already. You are not safe.
Anyhow the demographics is a stereotypical way to judge safety. Anywhere with a Centrelink hub is a steer clear, then commission housing, then rental tenants per property. Then just a general look on what type is cars is driven in the neighbourhood.
And then car theft and house breakins statistical data from RACV or the like (not Today Tonight lol)
That would be how I would make a somewhat safety judgement.
Where to find these things? Is there a page for rental tenants per property?
What cars are found in the better areas?
TIA
More eastern than south-eastern, but Belgrave, Tecoma, Upwey and Selby are pretty good and close to public transport and freeways.
Might be safe from criminals, definitely not safe from bushfires. My Brother lives in Ferny Creek and wife works at Upper Beaconsfield, Brother boought his land after the previous owner died on it during black saturday.
yeah good point. fires came within 800m of us on Black Saturday. we had evacuated.
We just house-sat for my relative for 3 weeks in Noble Park. It's a good suburb, so is Sandown, Springvale, close to train stations, lots of parks. We are from Qld and felt safe in the area with our 2 kids. My relative has a townhouse in Noble Park that they purchased a few years back for much less than $500k.
Being "safer" means differently to different people. So whats your expectation?
where safety is number one priority
We moved out of Hallam/Narre warren a year ago (and were in Hampton Park around 6 years ago) and bought in Officer/Pakenham. Our experience here so far has been fantastic. It's nice and quiet (where we are anyway) and is within your budget.
The only downside is you're just a bit further out from the CBD, but at least I always get a seat on the train shrugs
When it's not being replaced by a bus.
Oh don't remind me, I've spent so much on city parking over the past year
No where is safe
And? OP is looking for areas that are safer.. relatively..
Have a look at Sandhurst. It's a golf estate with 24 hour security patrols and cameras everywhere. There are even sections that are gated within the estate for even more security. Many retirees and young families. I used to live there for more than 5 years. Friendly community vibe with a nice clubhouse (country club) with gym and pool.
If it wasnt soooo far I would have lived there.
Definitely a beautiful suburb, but you indeed have to pay the price of admission and ongoing body corporate fees
each area each street has good and bad point i would look at house then check out area.
Buy a larger place in a more dangerous suburb for the same cash, but just get a gun.
For long term growth way better off buying an old home on a 600m2+ block in an older suburb than a tiny home on a 300m2 block in places like Clyde North- a least you'll have a backyard in the older place and potentially be able to subdivide
go to Sydney, you'll feel safer
I've been living in Berwick for 17 years. Brought both kids up here, pretty safe!
I’m from Adelaide…from what I hear , anywhere that the gangs don’t roam free without consequences is good in Melbourne
@sa-ozzie. Is Andrews Farm a place worth investing (about to grow?) this is what I've heard so any idea from over there? We're about to pull the trigger on something there hence the question ($500k worth though) :S
Stop listening to the shock jocks and the Federal Government ministers. They are both pushing ignorant, sensationalist agendas.
Minto, Sydney