Melbourne South East safe and affordable family suburb?

LHaani on 19/12/2016 - 11:58

We are a small family with young kids trying to buy our ever first home (budget is 450K and we may can stretch it a little). I m looking for help about finding a suitable suburb in South East which is affordable and safe as well. My hubby works in CBD and probably he will use public transport for travelling.

We have been told to avoid Dandenong and Noble Park becasue they are a little rough and unsafe.

Can you please advice about other suburbs in South East like Hallam, Doveton, Narre Warren, Narre Warren South, Cranbourne, Cranbourne South. Our guess is Belgrave and Officer would be good but just more travel to CBD.

We are new to Victoria, kindly guide which suburbs we should focus and which to avoid ?

In general we are looking affordability, safety, family friendly and distance to CBD and public transport.

Thanks for helping a mum and her family in making a right choise :)

Home & Garden

Comments

        • yoyo on 22/12/2016 - 08:17
          +1

          @Haani: My only concerns with the Northern Suburbs is that they are true blue Labor supporters, which is not a bad thing on its own, but they are not perceived as a swinging seats (political party wise), hence no need to lure them by throwing cash at them. Just observe where the investment in roads, rail are happening and you will see it is in the swinging seats area. My 2 cents.

          As a matter of disclosure, I live in the northern suburbs.

        • serpserpserp on 22/12/2016 - 14:14
          +1

          @yoyo:

          Demographics are changing, Wills and Brunswick are slowly changing, all the old battlers are dying out and are being replaced with young green/lib voters. I think it is eventually going to be a contested seat, just have to wait and see.

          Rail investment for the upfield line is coming. But it isn't too bad at the moment. In a couple of years though it'll be super crowded at all times.

  • sammyla on 20/12/2016 - 18:56
    +12

    Bottom line is, Melbourne is not what it used to be 15 years ago :), people are becoming more aggressive on roads and don't respect each other.Clogged freeways, more people and less opportunities, high crime and large numbers living on welfare/abusing drugs has now become normal, lot of poor people have no choice but to resort to stealing, system has failed them. I'm sure some not all on welfare would probably like to work for a living but they simply cant find a decent job(i agree there are some who abuse the system and wouldn't take up job offers), not enough manufacturing jobs in Australia anymore, most replaced by services sector, so how can some disadvantaged person get a job when people with degrees struggle to find work. sad part is all governments just ignore this as they are in bed with greedy multinationals who outsource jobs overseas to increase their profit margins. but then again i realize high wage was a result of the mining boom which made labor and everything else expensive. where did all the money from Mining go? Not to infrastructure!!, i know that much.

    i sometimes wonder why this happened,then i realize that all we experience is forced upon us by the establishment and none of us do anything about it an simply tolerate things. High living standards is what Australia was known for. i don't know if i can say that in General anymore. There is always going to be thugs,crims and thieves but when the number increases way too much it means the breakdown of society.

    • vetopower on 20/12/2016 - 22:47
      +3

      Sounds like OP (and many others) are left with no good options. Have to spend $500K+ to get a house in either a crime-ridden suburb or one hours away from the CBD … and possibly both. So much for 'the Australian dream'!

      • zealmax on 21/12/2016 - 22:01
        +1

        In Sydney 1 hour away from CBD is considered pretty good.

    • FatBlanket on 21/12/2016 - 05:42
      -2

      Third generation Aussie here. Australians are lazy and apathetic. Most of us don't deserve the jobs we have. I'm constantly appalled at the terrible quality of service I get from Australian employees. Australians just do what the herald sun tells them and keep voting the party in that's screwing them all over. Of course you can't paint us all with the same brush, some work really hard. But to say they've been failed by the system and that it's out of their control is just a joke. But I understand a lot of Aussies like to think that way. Out of their control, just one less thing to worry about mate.

      • FatBlanket on 21/12/2016 - 05:49
        +5

        Just like to add that when the government offered the people world leading NBN they chose 'stop the boat's' lol….

        • sammyla on 21/12/2016 - 09:34
          -1

          NBN is useless if we don't promote businesses and innovation, we just rely too much on imports and kill all local jobs. About boats, more people come on plane than boats lol but at the end of the day what matters is infrastructure and jobs keeping up with population increase, otherwise it becomes unsustainable. people are slowly waking up to the fact that the wealth effect we experience is coming at a cost to society haha.

        • downdowndown on 23/12/2016 - 01:04
          -1

          @sammyla:

          Build it they will come.

          If they don't we will adjust policy so they do.

          Foreign capital inflows are very important to our gdp…

          unless it is of course against the national interest.

          Tldr: foreigners buying property = good

          Buying up too much agricultural,utilities or rare earth minerals = bad.

          Carry on…

      • sammyla on 21/12/2016 - 10:04
        +1

        Lol you totally misunderstood my comment mate. what i'm telling you is that some people are disadvantaged by birth through disability or by something else.some are not as smart as others, so if there was at least manufacturing jobs they would work in a manufacturing line. these days you need a double degree to land a admin job haha. please don't tell me one of the major parties are better than the other and please don't even talk about greens, greens are thieves who portray themselves as saviors of society when they really aren't. do you get my gist? if still don't ask me ill explain more.

        We as a people have destroyed our economy, we have gone from manufacturing to services and just building houses, and we love to make a quick buck by gambling on various things( you figure out what)and not work hard.prosperity without hard work is the dream of the ages.

      • Diji1 on 23/12/2016 - 22:48
        -3

        Australians spend more time working than most other countries in the world.

        The system has failed a large number of Australians unless you think wages going backwards is not failing - you sound like you might be that kind of person.

  • antzz on 20/12/2016 - 19:27
    +1

    how about springvale or clayton?

    • sammyla on 20/12/2016 - 19:30
      +2

      Exceeds his budget of 450

    • knitwear on 21/12/2016 - 10:24

      A unit in Springvale will cost you at minimum 480k.

      • sammyla on 21/12/2016 - 15:39

        Yes over his budget? and its a 2 bedder you're talking about. he probably has a young family might be too small.

  • WreckTangle on 20/12/2016 - 20:37
    +2

    If you don't mind going way north somewhere like Wallan is more affordable for your budget..safe area, 350k for a brand new house with a big yard and 45 min express train into city (I dont't live there but seems nice)

  • Them3lguy on 20/12/2016 - 21:30
    +1

    You well be better off on buying an old house in Cranbourne, mate bought a house a year back 635 m2 for 385k, stamp duty on top.

    Have got our land in highrove estate for 285k 512m2 bought 18 months back. Construction is gonna be costing more than 255k.

    Check you Clyde..Estates like Hartliegh, Ramleigh Springs, you should be able to get land around 350-385m2 for that budget if you leave stamp duty aside.

  • Bullion78 on 20/12/2016 - 22:30

    Have you considered going out a little further? There is value to be had in bunyip, garfield and longwarry yet only 70km from cbd and right on a train line.

    • Bullion78 on 20/12/2016 - 22:31

      Can even buy a 1000m2 block for about 200k

      • Dr Techno on 20/12/2016 - 22:42
        +1

        Better to buy as close to the city as you can afford. Appreciation would be faster and give you more options sooner. ie. if you want to sell and upgrade. Unless you really like the country.

    • serpserpserp on 22/12/2016 - 14:17
      +1

      "only 70km from the cbd.." - Crikey might has well live in Morwell. :P

      • Dr Techno on 22/12/2016 - 14:39

        Poowong would be closer than Morwell :)

  • darkchoc on 20/12/2016 - 23:31
    +1

    Look at Lyndbrook, lyndhurst, langwarrin, frankston (near frankston heights primary school), karingal.

    Mostly family friendly, affordable.

  • Mkr on 21/12/2016 - 05:55
    +1

    Officer is probably a good option for you. Please check out Arcadia Estate in Officer…. it has a station, good schools, shops and close to freeway
    You can get something under 500k too
    All the best with your home purchase

  • press711 on 21/12/2016 - 08:29

    What is the thoughts on Carrum Downs? Thanks.

  • anonymous01 on 21/12/2016 - 09:53
    -4

    There are no safe suburbs in South East. Questions is which one is less dangerous than the other. Oh and don't get me started on Trains on Pakenham/Cranbourne line.

  • knitwear on 21/12/2016 - 10:22
    +20

    We bought our first home earlier this year, and were looking around the same suburbs as you are looking now. Ultimately we settled in Berwick. I can provide several pros & cons for you to consider each suburb.

    Noble Park North
    We used to live for few years here, so we know quite a bit about the area. See suburb profile

    Pros
    * About 25-30 mins to CBD via M1, or around 40 mins via Princes Highway. On most mornings before 8, opt to use Princes Highway instead of M1, less congestion.
    * Proximity to Springvale. This is important if you homecook your meals, as shopping for groceries in Springvale are generally cheaper, and lots of cheap food as well.
    * Waverley Gardens shopping centre is just around the corner. It's not very crowded, and most days it can be considered "empty", but not dodgy.
    * Generally better than Noble Park, quieter, and lot safer.
    * HFC/cable is available to most areas, no need to wait for NBN.

    Cons
    *Unfortunately, it will be out of your budget. General 3BR house is already 500k+. The ones advertising below that usually has a hidden catch. There's almost no townhouse/units in this area.
    * The nearest usable train station is Yarraman, which means you need to catch the Cranbourne line (one of the problematic lines, just right behind Frankston) as the Pakenham line usually skips Yarraman. Parking is OK as long as you get there before 8am. You can try Noble Park, but good luck, I've seen some cars being damaged when parked there just to get $2 coins inside. Dandenong station is too far. If you are using public transport, I'd suggest to catch a bus to Dandenong or Springvale, and then change to trains from there.
    * Not a lot of food options at night, probably Maccas, or go to Springvale.

    Dandenong/Noble Park
    I could probably lump Dandenong with Noble Park as they share the same pros and cons. See suburb profiles for Dandenong and Noble Park

    Pros
    * Stations are nearby. Both Dandenong and Noble Park are major stops in the Cranbourne/Pakenham line, and the occasional Dandenong-bound train.
    * Lots of recent developed properties, so houses look fairly modern.
    * Lots of food options.
    * You could probably get a townhouse/unit around your budget.

    Cons
    * It's Dandenong. No matter how much money the government pump to it, it'll still be Dandenong. You can take someone out of the city but you can't take the city out of him…or so the proverb goes.
    * Low socio-economic area, just go to Springvale market, then Dandenong market, and compare them.
    * For Noble Park, good luck with the dreaded Heatherton road roundabout near the level crossing.
    * For Noble Park, unfortunately due to the proximity of highly-sought Springvale, prices have gone up like crazy, despite the suburb reputation.

    Endeavour Hills
    See suburb profile

    Pros
    * Very quiet, secluded, and established-family area, very suitable for families.
    * Mostly established homes. Seen few townhouses as well.

    Cons
    * Almost no easy way for public transportation. The nearest train station would be quite far. If you are using public transport (and not a combination of private car + public transport), just forget this suburb altogether.
    * Due to the perceived exclusivity of the suburb, prices have jacked up. However I've read that the property growth is not that great in this suburb.
    * With your budget, 3BR house is probably out of the game, but 2BR (if you can find it) or townhouse/unit should be achievable.

    Doveton
    See suburb profile
    Pros
    * Very very affordable, inexpensive suburb. You could go lengths with your budget in this suburb.
    * Close to Dandenong, access to Dandenong market if you need groceries.

    Cons
    * Prices stay low even though it's sandwiched between Dandenong, Endeavour Hills, and Hallam. Why hasn't it take off like Noble Park, despite its reputation? Could there be something wrong with the suburb? I'd suggest to drive through the suburb at night and see how you feel about it.

    Hallam
    See suburb profile

    Pros
    * Still affordable within your budget.
    * Most residential area is near the Hallam station.

    Cons
    * Go and have a drive through Hallam. You'll clearly see that it's supposed to be an industrial area that seemed to be rezoned to residential but never took off. One poster mentioned it's like the council gave up with Hallam, and it shows.
    * Hallam train station doesn't have lots of parking space.

    Narre Warren
    I'm lumping together NW North, NW South and the main NW. See suburb profile.

    Pros
    * One of the hottest suburbs in the South East, there's lots of new development, and lots of people here. Properties are selling like ice cream on a sunny day; or hot cakes on a gloomy day; or generally, coffee in Melbourne.
    * Proximity to Fountain Gate shopping centre.
    * Train station nearby (if you lived in the southern part of Narre Warren).
    * Easy access to both M1 and Princes Highway.
    * With your budget, you can push for a smaller 3BR, or definitely a unit.

    Cons
    * Lots of dodgy as real estate agents (due to hot cake effect).
    * NW South seems to be a bit neglected.
    * Forget driving to and from CBD on peak hours.
    * Restricted to ADSL/ADSL2+, some lucky could get cable, but others, NBN is not even sighted yet.

    Berwick
    See suburb profile

    Pros
    * Very quiet, family-friendly suburb with lots of school around the area. However most families are established families (not young families).
    * Berwick station has recently (in the past few years) upgraded, allowing a lot more parking spot, provided you get there before 7.30am.
    * Price-wise might fit your budget, depending on the location. Some could go to 600k+, some still around 400k+.
    * Hospital nearby. Public (Casey Hospital), and private (St John of God).

    Cons
    * Public transport takes about 50-60 mins (on a good day) to CBD. If not using private car, you would have to use bus to get to and from the station, which could be problematic. Forget driving to work, not worth it.
    * Driving to CBD on weekends could take around 40-50 mins, might get worse due to the M1 widening works.
    * Restricted to ADSL/ADSL2+ only. NBN has been planned for end of 2017.

    Cranbourne
    We didn't research much on Cranbourne, so didn't know much about it. We do have couple of friends living in Cranbourne though. See suburb profile.

    Pros
    * NBN available, and you could also use other wireless broadband providers if NBN is not yet available.
    * Lots and lots of new and modern houses.

    Cons
    * It's pretty far from CBD.
    * Cranbourne line.

    Have you considered Hampton Park at all? We didn't look at it because we already got our property, but it was on our suburb watchlist. Also make use of Domain's property profile to ballpark estimate the property you want.

    Good luck!

    • godofpizza on 21/12/2016 - 14:11

      Great write up and very informative.
      We also moved to berwick as well from the western suburbs. Such a different lifestyle to sunshine, i don't have to worry about my car being stolen/broken in I park it on the street.

    • Powershopz on 21/12/2016 - 14:30

      Give this man the ozbargain equivalent of reddit gold (perhaps some eneloops). MVP.

    • Dr Techno on 22/12/2016 - 00:03
      +1

      This is one of the main reasons to avoid Hampton Park. http://www.epa.vic.gov.au/our-work/current-issues/landfills/…

      Tip has operating license until 2040. Alot of ppl complain about bad smells depending on wind and temperatures.

    • flickr on 22/12/2016 - 12:21

      Hampton Park apparently is not good from my previous forum post due to land fill (you can smell it depending on where you are located) and also the crime.

      • Dr Techno on 22/12/2016 - 14:57

        It should pickup alot after 2040. Normally landfills get converted to parks, and the gas vented off. By this time ppl's attitudes will change and price should pickup quickly. Higher price should push out questionable ppl. But this is another 23 years into the future.

    • berger on 23/12/2016 - 21:18

      Noble park train crossing at heatherton road is going. Can't wait.

      I live in Noble Park, we have everything nearby. Freeway, trains, buses, several shopping centres, swimming pools, awesome food & good schools

      Drivers suck around here big time though, there are accidents daily, always hear them on the traffic reports in the morning, the train crossings are terrible, but they are all going next year.

      Prices are going up, I'm always looking for more property here and it's getting harder.

    • Haani on 24/12/2016 - 18:42

      Thanks really helpful

  • ahly92 on 21/12/2016 - 10:33

    I always thank my lucky stars that when we migrated here since 2003 we have been renting in eastern suburbs although family friend pressure to move to south eastern so we can 'fit' in…did our children schooling and uni transport a great favour and is starting to bear fruit. Still renting and don't see the point if buying why don't you rent ?

    • knitwear on 21/12/2016 - 10:59
      +2

      Obviously each individual circumstances are different. Some people like the idea of owning their home and not paying anything when they retire. Some prefer to save up the money and avoid maintenance headaches by renting when they retire. To each their own.

      Perhaps she has calculated that the mortgage is not much higher than the rent?

  • DWH on 21/12/2016 - 11:51

    What a shame… about 20-30 years ago I grew up around Cranbourne, Cranny North and Narre South areas. They were certainly less desirable areas but certainly quite safe. It's sad to hear how they've deteriorated.

  • abovethelimit on 21/12/2016 - 12:52
    +1

    Carrum Downs!! a untapped area with a full potential. 10 mins walk to beach and public transport. 15 mins to Dandenong for all your shopping needs. Quieter and generally an area constituting mainly retirees and friendly aussie neighbors. Can find a decent independent house with land on your budget.

    • dragonxx on 21/12/2016 - 17:23

      OP is working in CBD so Carrum Downs is too far for him. At least 5 - 15 mins from closest station not to mention at least 1 hour drive to CBD.

      • Dr Techno on 22/12/2016 - 00:11
        +1

        Still closer than say Pakenham. These days you can't be too picky.

    • Mike88 on 21/12/2016 - 17:46

      I agree that Carrum Downs is in a good position, not to far from the city in that price range and close to shopping hubs. However no train station for public transport, closest would be Seaford. Seaford also may be in the price range and situated a little better in regards to beach, transport and property growth. Also find it hard to believe that any human can walk from Carrum Downs to the beach in 10mins as their is an entire suburb in between.
      I feel a lot of the suburbs that have been mentioned so far would be underestimating the drive to the city in peak hour. Carrum Downs/Seaford would be on par with travel time during peak. I base this on 40-50K kms a year in a company car and see each morning how bad the major freeways are to drive on.

      • abovethelimit on 22/12/2016 - 13:33

        agree….i meant to write 10 mins drive to the beach. I drive to CBD occasionally and it sucks big time during peak. Melbourne has grown exponentially and the infra hasn't caught up to it yet. sometimes i feel that i live in asian countries purely based on the traffic conditions during peak hours.

    • Dr Techno on 22/12/2016 - 00:08

      Yes friendly aussie neighbors into cars doing burn outs at night :P Not a bad suburb, thats just the vibe I get. Not sure if the sewage treatment plant next door is an issue or not.

      • jaimex2 on 22/12/2016 - 00:47

        Dont forget its the Apex gangs car dealership!

        • Dr Techno on 22/12/2016 - 11:05

          Not even a Datsun is safe these days…

      • serpserpserp on 22/12/2016 - 14:25

        Mate you get neighbors from all over the world doing burn outs at night in Brunswick and Richmond and they are good suburbs. Can't seem to escape the hoons in this city unless you go live in Kew…

  • ExtraSalt on 21/12/2016 - 14:23
    +2

    if it helps, I grew up in Mulgrave. got priced out of run-down homes, units, townhouses within the area and surrounding. We chose to build and skipped Eummerring, Doveton, Hallam and landed in Narre South on the Berwick side. It's a tad far from what I'm used to, but its a growing town and theres everything i need there. It's a lot nicer and safer than i thought it would be but we are quite happy there.

    • Dr Techno on 22/12/2016 - 00:11
      +1

      +1 here grew up in Mulgrave :)

      • abovethelimit on 22/12/2016 - 13:36

        +2 here…What a lovely quiet neighborhood or what it used to be…now a days the noise from M1 and Wellington/Springvale road is unbearable so I heard

        • Dr Techno on 22/12/2016 - 13:53

          Still is a lovely family type of neighborhood. I only ever heard the freeway at night time though and haven't noticed any increase in noise in the past 30 odd years while I was there. I lived in the newer Eastern side of the freeway, so maybe that side is a little different. I understand if you were right on Wellington or Springvale rd that would be a pain but deep inside should be okay.

          My parents slept over at my house in Rowville. They commented if it was always this quiet at night here.. I swear in Rowville you can hear a pin drop or your own heart beat at night. I never really hear the freeway at all. That was the biggest difference compared to Mulgrave.

  • rajabag on 21/12/2016 - 16:16

    i found oakleigh south has very good safety rating

    use the tool here:

    http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/melbourne-crime-interactiv…

    • Craze on 23/12/2016 - 20:24

      Out of OP's price range.

  • TailsK on 21/12/2016 - 16:56

    Just remember, crime moves on, so don't let that rule out potentially good suburbs for you. The closer you are to the city, generally the better things will be in terms or infrastructure, even if you're in the outer suburbs.

  • MoMoneyMoProblems on 21/12/2016 - 17:41
    +1

    Next question: Safe, family friendly suburb in Sydney for $450k…

    • zealmax on 21/12/2016 - 22:09
      +2

      25sqm studio count?

    • peterpeterpumpkin on 22/12/2016 - 12:47
      +2

      I think that question pre-dates the founding of OzBargain.

    • abovethelimit on 22/12/2016 - 13:38

      Does commission houses qualify?

    • serpserpserp on 22/12/2016 - 14:26

      Gosford: 2 br townhouse.

  • greencomet on 21/12/2016 - 17:44
    +2

    My partner and I were in a similar situation last year when we bought our first house, we also had a similar budget. She commutes to work in the CBD every day and after seeing how far out we would have to live in the East (with our budget) we decided on Deer park in the Western Suburbs. I've lived out West my whole life so it has never been a problem for me, my family are out here too. My partner was afraid to move out here at first, she grew up in Eltham and was a bit brainwashed by her friends and family (all of whom have never lived here) about how horrible it is here, but she actually really enjoys it and is glad we moved here.

    We've been in our house now for about 18 months and it has been great, we got a nice 3 bed 2 bath 2 car garage place within our budget near Deer park station. My family are close, her family are a 30min drive up the ring road, shops are 2min away in every direction and most importantly the CBD is a quick 25 min trip from our front door via the Vline from Deer Park station.

    • jaimex2 on 22/12/2016 - 00:46
      +2

      Shh, you're give away the best kept secret.

      If they found out that its sunnier with 20 minute CBD commute times everyone will buy there.

      I also grew up in Sunshine and then Cairnlea. After moving to the east I can tell you its much safer then SE suburbs by a long shot.

    • serpserpserp on 22/12/2016 - 14:28

      30 mins up the ring road… So they live in Pascoe Vale?

      • greencomet on 22/12/2016 - 21:10

        Pascoe Vale is 21min from mine according to Google and Eltham is 38min, my sincerest of apologies.

  • gimli on 21/12/2016 - 18:26
    -4

    glen waverley

    • dragonxx on 21/12/2016 - 19:11

      3x450k!

      • zealmax on 21/12/2016 - 22:10

        4x450K!

        • Dr Techno on 22/12/2016 - 00:13

          Might as well say 5x450k by the end of the week, in the school zone :P

  • ChaseTheSun on 21/12/2016 - 19:06

    Have you considered Cranbourne West?

    Not sure if it's been mentioned but CW is close to the fwy and 2 train stations.
    Only con is that it is a developing suburb.so expect lots of changes.

  • jaimex2 on 22/12/2016 - 00:42
    +1

    I'm sorry to say your budget isn't enough. Hubby will lose his mind commuting, he will need to quit his job and get something more local.

    This map should help you get an idea of the mess we've created.
    https://www.reiv.com.au/property-data/median-prices/median-h…

    You have three options really.

    1. Move to the west, friends can be visited on weekends.

    2. Find a shoe-box apartment or unit on a corner on a main street.

    3. Keep saving for a higher deposit or get higher paying jobs.

  • khomeini on 22/12/2016 - 01:23
    +4

    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. :)

    • Haani on 24/12/2016 - 18:53

      thanks Khomeini, appreciate your reply and help

  • [Deactivated] on 22/12/2016 - 01:53
    -4

    There is some terrible advice in this thread OP. None of the suburbs you mentioned are safe or decent. My advice would be to put off purchasing, and save for a bigger deposit. You will be able to purchase a house in a better suburb.

  • gstfree on 22/12/2016 - 08:09
    +1

    If you budget 450k, you may consider Pakenham. Vline train to city 1hour, similar as Berwick.
    Pakenham is relatively okay.

    If you have more money, consider the new estates around Berwick/Cranbourne north.

    • mochariffic on 22/12/2016 - 16:33

      Not allowed to use vline in pakenham unless heading towards bairnsdale

      • gstfree on 22/12/2016 - 17:15

        This is untrue. The rule has changed. Now vline first outbound drop off station is Pakenham and last in bound pick up station is Pakenham.

        Given OP 450k budget, only Pakenham area is suitable.

  • Hotpotcorn on 22/12/2016 - 09:37
    -2

    TOORAK

    • serpserpserp on 22/12/2016 - 14:29
      +1

      Not south or east enough for OP.

  • max19832002 on 22/12/2016 - 09:37

    I agree with few of the comments here,you should rent for a few months before buying a house.It will all make much more sense later.We moved to Brisbane a Few years ago and rented for about 12 months before finally finding the right suburb and house.
    12 months wait was just something we had to do before we had the deposit,but at least 3-4 months of renting is recommended.

    Cheers

  • [Deactivated] on 22/12/2016 - 11:42
    -1

    Just move to the west

  • SupeNintendoChalmers on 22/12/2016 - 14:28
    +2

    Dandenong North, basically anything north of McFees road. If you can afford it, the Rosewood Downs section (north of Brady Road) is a nice area.

    Don't bother buying anywhere past Dandy, the traffic to and from work will slowly drive you insane.

  • nadan on 22/12/2016 - 16:05

    If you will commute to the city for work then I would strongly recommend something closer though not possible in your price bracket in SE suburbs. I would look at the western suburbs as they are much closer and affordable at the same time. I live in Cranbourne North and commute on the train is an hour from Merinda Park to Southern Cross, it's an hour and five minutes to two hours driving.

    • Haani on 24/12/2016 - 18:58

      Thankss nadan,

      How is overall infrastructure, schools and facilities ?

      Are there any express trains ?

      How is frequency of trains ? Is service good ?

  • playswithfire on 22/12/2016 - 16:25
    +1

    Belgrave/Selby is great. I live there, crime is extremely low, the train is usually 1hr from Belgrave to Parliament. Good schools nearby too :)

    • Haani on 24/12/2016 - 18:59

      thank you playswhithfire,

      is it a sort of multicultural area ?

      • playswithfire on 24/12/2016 - 22:00

        pretty much - there's decent representation from all sorts around here.

  • mochariffic on 22/12/2016 - 16:32

    Officer and cardinia rd side of pakenham is affordable.

    I built in 2010 for $282k and am very happy :-)
    Walking distance to train, shops and schools building at the moment - monash exit right there and 15 mins to a backwater beach..

    It is technically a rezoned regional zone and about as south-east as south-east gets but maybe worth a look.

    Avoid the older parts of pakenham - bit rough in my opinion

  • bujji on 22/12/2016 - 20:56
    +1

    Avoid all the mentioned suburbs by you except berwick. If you can push bit of budget i can ask you to look around keysborough , clarinda or dingley village(bit affordable houses)..if you are too strict with your budget have a look at lynbrook too.

  • zealmax on 22/12/2016 - 21:46

    Taylors Lake is nice. You might be able to get a town house there.

  • 4foxache on 22/12/2016 - 23:35
    +1

    I grew up in Berwick and did all my schooling there so I know the area and surrounding pretty well. The north side of the highway in Berwick is the best area (essentially old Berwick) and Narre North very nice as well. As for other surrounding suburbs you can pretty much throw a blanket over them, not much different. Although you may be priced out at $450k these days.

  • DiscoJango on 23/12/2016 - 12:50
    +2

    Doveton? lol, either drive through it, or google street view it. no way would i ever consider living in doveton.

  • jzx100 on 23/12/2016 - 17:21
    -1

    A lot of cashed up drug dealers are living in Berwick these days too. Seems to be the headquarters of these crime gangs members who've slowly started to go 'legit'. 20 years ago Berwick was something special…. now it's just anther suburb.

  • Ghosteye on 23/12/2016 - 18:40
    +1

    I used to live next to doveton in a suburb called endeavour hills. Its pretty great from the 6-7 odd years that I've lived there. The only trouble is the time spent on public transport that would get you to narre warren station or dandenong.

    Apart from public transport, my neighbours were amazing, and neighbourhood was generally quiet at night.

    The neighbourhood kids are mostly from doveton and dandenong, they would probably be bad influence for your kids( generalisation here) so it would be great if you get them into a high school like nossal in berwick.

  • benderz on 23/12/2016 - 18:40
    +1

    Moved to Narre Warren 2yrs ago after renting in Elsternwick and St Kilda. Was a bit of a shock and it took a while to adjust.
    We are conveniently located on a quiet court between Fountain Gate and Casey Central, close to Berwick Botanic gardens, Cranbourne Botanic gardens, Lysterfield Lake, a few weekend markets and loads of parks. It's 25mins from the beach and about 40mins to the cbd without traffic. Wouldn't bother driving in peak hour as it's notoriously slow.
    Our neighbours are pensioners and older couples. People mention bogans constantly but for a suburb 40km from the city I don't think it's above average.
    I work shift work so go on runs and cycle at all hours of the night and have never had an issue. You need to be aware of your surroundings but some people seem to exaggerate the issue of safety.
    Welcome to the area!

  • MementoMori on 23/12/2016 - 20:10
    +1

    I'd say checkout Hampton Park. Has a train station, diverse Australian and Indian population. Nothing like Doveton/Dandy/etc.

  • serapax on 03/01/2017 - 15:38

    A bit late to the party - but we were in a similar situation a decade ago.
    Young family with friends and relatives in the South-East.

    We ended up buying in Doveton and lived there for nearly seven years.

    Yes, there is generational disadvantage. Yes, the south end can be a bit colourful, although it was consistently improving.

    North of Kidds Rd is very different. Very quiet with many older people and recent immigrants (Indian, Russian, African etc). A good proportion of home owners too.

    Houses are extremely cheap for what you get, and there is lots of parkland and quiet streets. The government has poured money into remediating the suburb, as it was (still is?) famously the lowest socioeconomic suburb in Melbourne. Dandenong is close by (great shopping), as is the Monash Freeway and Eastlink Tollway. Doveton also had more of a community feel to it than any other suburb I've lived in. United by adversity perhaps?

    However - I would use it mainly as a stepping-stone to get into the housing market if you have young kids, and consider moving elsewhere before they get to high-school age. Mainly, our concern was that they would grow up surrounded by 'normalised' generational disadvantage - generational unemployment, family members in and out of prison, etc. Of course, if they go to a good school out of the area and have a good network of decent friends, there's no reason why you couldn't stay there longer term.

  • AtifAtif on 02/09/2019 - 15:17

    Hi Haani
    I am curious as to where you end up buying (& Living)? and how is your experience?

    I am in the same boat that you were in 3 years ago.

    Please share your experience, even if you bought in the west.

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