Should I Move to The East Side?

nimnomnimy on 02/06/2016 - 23:59
Last edited 02/06/2016 - 23:59

I have been lucky in life, despite some missteps along the way, I have somehow managed to find a wonderful wife, have 2 beautiful kids and reach financial freedom. however, growing up in a family where cash was not only highly valued, it was also used as measure of a persons value, I have always lived a somewhat thrifty lifestyle when it's come to the big purchases.

Right now we live in a small 4 bedroom home on the west side of Melbourne and while commute to work and sitting in traffic for a long time doesn't really bother me, I am starting to crave some of the amenities such as the better schools for kids, restaurant / cafes, shops, the better quality of produce as well as things to do generally with the kids like better parks etc..

Now the one thing that has thus far stumped me in making a decision once and for all is that in the west, I can buy or build essentially a dream house for around $700k but i would be lucky to get land for that where I would want to be on the east side. I don't know how to justify spending the extra $1-1.5mil for the above amenities.

to help me decide, please share your thoughts and if you are a melbournite, Maybe share where you live and why?

Poll Options

  • 32
    Move to the east
  • 9
    Stay in the west
  • 4
    The north remembers
  • 3
    You know nothing Jon snow - the south ;)
Financial

Comments

  • [Deactivated] on 03/06/2016 - 02:52

    Congrats.

    I'm genuinely surprised that you've made it this far living in the People's Republic of Melbourne's West. Well done.

  • slothhead on 03/06/2016 - 08:56

    Well done on your success (and for maintaining your humility).

    "East of Melbourne" is not a homogenous area and price differentials between suburbs can be huge (take East Melbourne for example and contrast it with Collingwood, you could save a $1m just by being a couple of kms away). I love the amenity offered by the East, and if you have the money, I would make the move purely for lifestyle reasons. But I suspect the West will enjoy more in the way of capital growth, so you may be financially better-off by holding onto your property in the long run. No one really knows where the property market is heading, though.

    Just my 2 cents - I have no specific knowledge in this area so ignore with impunity!

    • nimnomnimy on 03/06/2016 - 22:21

      Thank you for the compliment and your input. We would probably be looking for something French provincial / new / recently renovated around Balwyn / Surry hills if we moved.

  • Cluelessness11 on 03/06/2016 - 11:27

    Are you talking about inner east? Close to CBD still or like suburbs in the East?

    I'm currently in Kew East and we love it because of the convenience and choices of cafes & restaurants!
    I was in similar situation as you however I was the child and parents made the decision to move from the North to Balwyn and as a child was unhappy with the move because I was in primary school year 6 entering year 7 and I did struggle because of the social difference. Didn't affect younger siblings though, or maybe I was just at that awkward age… (Keeping this in mind for your children)
    However as I got older, I now realise that this was easily the best decision parents have ever made and am eternally greateful. Quality of education is better, I was one of the "top" students at my previous primary school and when we moved I was average :(

    • nimnomnimy on 03/06/2016 - 22:23

      The kids aren't school age yet, still talking through the whole public vs private thing too..

      At this stage in casually browsing Balwyn / Surry hills / hawthorn east and surrounds

      • Cluelessness11 on 03/06/2016 - 23:33

        ooo nice! Congrats that you've started browsing must be pretty exciting.
        Also I think of it like this, if you're in the East, the public school is just as good as private!
        You said kids, so lets say 2, from year 7 - 12 at $30k each, that's $360k alone on schooling! So the money you save on private school fees you can use on a house in the East. Good luck house hunting ;)

  • [Deactivated] on 03/06/2016 - 11:55
    +1

    move to the far north of melbourne, about 700ks should do it

    • nimnomnimy on 03/06/2016 - 22:25

      Like Ivanhoe, NSW?

      We already have an Ivanhoe in Victoria :)

  • ykwon10 on 03/06/2016 - 12:07

    Without doubt! Move to east of Melbourne. I live 20mins SE of Melbourne and I have to say quality of life/convenience is much better here. Just for comparison, within 5-10mins drive each direction of my house, I have supermarkets, shops, schools, childcares, shopping centres, eateries, hospital, pharmacies, train st, etc.. While my mate who lives in the west, he has to drive at least 15mins to get to something depending on what but options are lesser. Arguably, houses are newer in the west and more affordable. But if you have the money, I would definitely recommend you to move.

    • dasher86 on 03/06/2016 - 18:17
      +2

      Your point about being more convenient in the East doesn't quite make sense' your location to your friend is probably better.You can get good locations in the West as well which are within 5-10 min drive of everything. Also pretty bad locations in the East too.

  • JetLi on 03/06/2016 - 12:18

    Reward yourself for the hardwork you've put in so far, move East side my friend.

  • 2jzzzz on 03/06/2016 - 12:31

    Not sure where you live, but I live south west and love it. Bought a 4 bed 2 bath 8yo house on 700m2 16km from CBD. Mates bought a similar, yet worse place for same price 42km away. I live across from a park and most people here own, not rent.

    I have Coles/Aldi/Big W a 2 min drive or 10min walk. Have a butcher, fruit and veg, bank branches, dentist, bulk bill doctors, bunch of takeaways, bakery, and hair dresser etc there too.

    House has had a 25% increase in price in 2 years.

    A drive for me and my wife to work is 20 minutes.

    I'm glad I grew up in another city, I dont5 have the south east snobbering forced onto me.

    Local zoned school is in top 2% in the state. High schools are lacking but coming.

    Love my suburb.

    • nimnomnimy on 03/06/2016 - 22:34

      We are in truganina. It's not really the day to day stuff like grocery shopping, it's more department stores, cafes, restaurant choice and quality etc.. That's leaning me that way

      Oh and high water pressure - new housing estates have some type of weak limit for energy ratings or something

      • 2jzzzz on 03/06/2016 - 23:54

        Ahhh yeah, get out of Derrimut, Truganina, Tarneit, Melton or Williams Landing.

        Pretty much anywhere else would be better.

        • dasher86 on 04/06/2016 - 08:44

          I'd class Derrimut out of there just because it's closer to the city

        • lgacb08 on 21/06/2016 - 05:54

          @dasher86: yeah but it got sandwiched between industrial estates on 3 sides and the remaining is the rail track.

  • fruit on 03/06/2016 - 12:37
    +1

    Melbourne: https://imgur.com/KGOkyGG

    • nimnomnimy on 03/06/2016 - 17:00

      If I was going to make it myself, I'd stay home

  • MustacheFire on 04/06/2016 - 06:35

    I lived in the west but attended school in the east. Id consider moving closer but staying on the more grounded side of the tracks, get more amenity but limit the price tag (and attitude)

  • [Deactivated] on 12/06/2016 - 13:16

    We've moved around quite bit in the last 11 years: Bundoora ( while at uni) then Bayside suburbs (after I married a mermaid) Mordialloc, Parkdale, Black Rock, Beaumaris/Mentone. Mordialloc is probably the most affordable and best kept secret: close to the beach, good cafes, not too far from the city or Southland and it has a laid back, almost village feel. I liked it. Thinking of moving back there, now that my mermaid has decided to go back to her paradise Island :(

  • ukulele on 13/06/2016 - 13:52

    Have you considered ringwood? Its a bit further out but you won't be paying 7 figures. Eastland is great, area actually has good schools, the new aquatic centre is great, plenty of tennis clubs footy clubs etc around for the kids. Heaps of parks with the track the follows the eastern all the way to the yarra blvd. Ringwood station to the city is not so bad. Also the new library is quite good. Not so sure about the "cafe culture" or restaurants but there is a couple in the area. If you must spend over a mil, have a look at warranwood, wonga park and park orchards.

    I work in ringwood and would love to live there. I live in frankston so the commute is only half an hour. Ringwood is probably out of my budget and it's probably just a bit too far for the missus' work which is bayside (cheltenham)

    Great position to be in! congrats! As a side note I keep hearing a lot about sunshine being the next big thing since seddon etc has blown up recently; perhaps the west is not so bad?

  • pandabear on 16/06/2016 - 13:10

    Definitely move to the East or have you considered Bayside? We love living in Sandngham, It is so great to be able to walk to the beach with our son in summer and enjoy some bayside fish and chips and an ice cream. It has a great family atmosphere, neighbors are friendly and feels very safe. The Sandngham train line is convenient for some of the best schools in Melbourne. Mentone and surrounds are still somewhat affordable, also try Moorabbin or Highett - they are a little further away from the beach but still all very accessible by car. You will never look back!

  • [Deactivated] on 20/06/2016 - 23:06

    If you are going to move, make it soon, before the children form school friends and other attachments to their area.

    Consider whether you will still be close to family and your support network.

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