Renting in Sydney: something near green and water, something villagey, something near CBD

[jumpingjellybean]

To be honest, I have to wonder if “Renting in Sydney for $800 per week with two dogs, something near green and water, something villagey, something near CBD” is some early (or late) Aprils Fools!

 

If you find somewhere so perfect; please remember to let me know.

 

In the meantime, this exercise is pointless, as you really need to find out what location you will be working in, before planning on where you will live.

[jumpingjellybean]

So if any of those places are of interest to the OP, he's changed his criteria a huge amount!

 

Probably won't be of any interest.

 

All I said was "I have thought of some others" - didn't say they would be suitable 100%

 

Personally I think the OP needs to change his criteria a HUGE amount.

 

Best to come over, stay in short term temp accommodation like a motel (put dogs in kennel) and put the feelers out himself

[Marisawright]

 

Personally I think the OP needs to change his criteria a HUGE amount.

 

 

You are right and I think he realises that now. In one of his other posts, he did say he'd never been to Australia and had been imagining Sydney as more like London (where he has lived) but smaller, and that he'd be able to live in the equivalent of Canterbury/Sevenoaks/Kingston and have a reasonable commute. He now realises it's a totally different ballgame!

[MARYROSE02]

Coincidentally we've just been discussing that.

 

Shock horror, I think we've decided we won't move - there's no point. We don't feel at home here and we don't believe moving to another city will make much difference. The UK is an alien landscape and we just don't belong. So we'll stay in Southampton, agree a budget to spend on holidays around Europe for the next six months, then head back to Oz. It will mean the oh will have to go back to spending his days indoors, but that's life.

 

I can handle six months, having a date to leave makes it manageable.

Why did you pick Soton? I can't remember, if you did tell me? Make sure you do the New Forest thoroughly, the only thing that I really miss about England.

 

Each time you move countries, or even within countries, it's like emigrating again. I've done that three times, OZ, England, OZ again.

[Skani]

Greenwich is gorgeous. But the biggest turn-off for me is the traffic.

 

But there is a ferry service from Greenwich Point to Darling Harbour and Circular Quay - so very handy if working in the CBD

[Marisawright]

Why did you pick Soton? I can't remember, if you did tell me? Make sure you do the New Forest thoroughly, the only thing that I really miss about England.

 

 

We wanted to be in the South of England, because that's where most of my family is - scattered all over from Tunbridge Wells to Exeter. We settled on Bournemouth as being sort-of in the middle, with plenty of dance classes for us. Looking on the internet it seemed affordable, but in reality we found the flats were all pokey and cramped. We'd been in our temp accommodation for a month and were getting desperate, so on a whim we decided to look at Soton because it was close by.

 

After all the tired old flats in Bournemouth, the brand new flat we saw in Southampton seemed like paradise - and was over £100 per month cheaper! It's spacious and we have a gorgeous panoramic river view from every window. We were so smitten we didn't investigate the city as much as we should have.

[MARYROSE02]

We wanted to be in the South of England, because that's where most of my family is - scattered all over from Tunbridge Wells to Exeter. We settled on Bournemouth as being sort-of in the middle, with plenty of dance classes for us. Looking on the internet it seemed affordable, but in reality we found the flats were all pokey and cramped. We'd been in our temp accommodation for a month and were getting desperate, so on a whim we decided to look at Soton because it was close by.

 

After all the tired old flats in Bournemouth, the brand new flat we saw in Southampton seemed like paradise - and was over £100 per month cheaper! It's spacious and we have a gorgeous panoramic river view from every window. We were so smitten we didn't investigate the city as much as we should have.

Difficult for me to be objective. I might have directed you to Marchwood, or Totton, not olde world, but close to the forest without losing their village atmosphere.Hythe too would have been OK

 

I would not like to live in large new apartment development. Is it Woolston? Maybe on site of former works?

 

Same in Sydney south of me, block after block, brand new but boring and hard to become a local

[MARYROSE02]

I took some dancing classes five years ago in Artarmon. I liked waltz and cha cha cha, but hate Latin both dancing and the music.

 

Waltzing and Rumba made me appreciate "Songs For Swinging Lovers!"

[MARYROSE02]

The OP gave some examples from the UK of the kind of place he was looking for: they were Canterbury, Kingston and Sevenoaks. And when I suggested Oatley (which is 40 minutes by train from the CBD) he rejected it as being too long a commute.

 

So if any of those places are of interest to the OP, he's changed his criteria a huge amount!

Maybe Canterbury NSW? They say burbs like that are getting trendier. Where is the limit of cool now in the west? Dulwich Hill at the end of the tram line? Hurlstone Park perhaps? The developers are moving West?!

[MARYROSE02]

Yes it's the site of an old commercial site. My oh loves brand new, hates olde worlde houses. Don't like villages either!

Hythe and Totton are really towns now. Hythe is pretty with the water. Pier and ferry to Soton. Totton is not pretty but has all the facilities you need including a station. Eling qualifies as pretty and it's easy to get out on the forest from Totton. Marchwood is still a village I guess but has expanded and also has much industry and a military port.

 

Romsey might have fitted the bill for you?

[Collie]

Hey mate,

 

Best village type suburbs are inner west IMO. I'm biased but I love living in Balmain (Rozelle, Lilyfield are neighbouring suburbs). Close to the city (5kms), a real village with good cafes, restaurants and pubs and generally a bit of life. You do generally sacrifice space though but there are plenty of parks close by including Callan park and the Bay run. Totally worth it for the 20min commute to the city (by bus or ferry). You can even walk it in about 45mins.

 

Drummoyne, Russell Lea are close by if you want a bit of a bigger property. Leichhardt is ok but on the flight path. A good suggestion is rent somewhere for 6/12 months and maybe do a few weekend trips to different suburb to check them out, you could even do airbnb for a weekend. i know a couple who are doing this before deciding on where they want to buy for the longterm.

 

Good luck,

Col

[Marisawright]

Hythe and Totton are really towns now. Hythe is pretty with the water. Pier and ferry to Soton. Totton is not pretty but has all the facilities you need including a station. Eling qualifies as pretty and it's easy to get out on the forest from Totton. Marchwood is still a village I guess but has expanded and also has much industry and a military port.

 

Romsey might have fitted the bill for you?

 

Romsey? Far far far far too small, very quiet and no dance classes. Neither of us is suited to village life! Hythe - we'd have to get on the ferry every single day as there's nothing there but a pub and a few tourist shops. I was warned off Totton as being rough.

 

If we were going to move, we'd move out of Soton altogether. Our lovely flat is the best thing about Soton as far as we're concerned, if we gave it up it wouldn't be worth staying!

Edited September 30, 2015 by Marisawright

[MARYROSE02]

Romsey? Far far far far too small, very quiet and no dance classes. Neither of us is suited to village life! Hythe - we'd have to get on the ferry every single day as there's nothing there but a pub and a few tourist shops. I was warned off Totton as being rough.

 

If we were going to move, we'd move out of Soton altogether. Our lovely flat is the best thing about Soton as far as we're concerned, if we gave it up it wouldn't be worth staying!

You have become institutionalised. Or Insydneyalized?!

 

Totton has a few yobs but I was never frightened of going there and I spook very easily!

 

What kind of dancing do u do?

[Marisawright]

You have become institutionalised. Or Insydneyalized?!

 

What kind of dancing do u do?

 

I grew up in a city of about 200,000 people, moved to London and Bristol as a young adult, and spent over 30 years in Sydney. So the vast majority of my life has been lived in cities - and in all those places, I lived centrally and never had to commute far. I have lived in a few smaller places but was never as happy. I love the bustle of big cities. I lived in a small country town for a year and hated it, I felt cut off from life even though I made some good friends.

 

I do belly dance, ballet and Broadway jazz. I have done flamenco in the past. I also dance ballroom and Latin socially with my husband.

[syd]

Hey mate,

 

Best village type suburbs are inner west IMO. I'm biased but I love living in Balmain (Rozelle, Lilyfield are neighbouring suburbs). Close to the city (5kms), a real village with good cafes, restaurants and pubs and generally a bit of life. You do generally sacrifice space though but there are plenty of parks close by including Callan park and the Bay run. Totally worth it for the 20min commute to the city (by bus or ferry). You can even walk it in about 45mins.

 

Drummoyne, Russell Lea are close by if you want a bit of a bigger property. Leichhardt is ok but on the flight path. A good suggestion is rent somewhere for 6/12 months and maybe do a few weekend trips to different suburb to check them out, you could even do airbnb for a weekend. i know a couple who are doing this before deciding on where they want to buy for the longterm.

 

Good luck,

Col

 

Thanks Col! I'm definitely partial to Balmain and surrounds, and it helps to have your description of all the benefits nearby. Hadn't looked at Drummoyne and co, so will have a bit of an exploration online and start to draw a new circle around that side of the map. Thanks very much!

[MARYROSE02]

I grew up in a city of about 200,000 people, moved to London and Bristol as a young adult, and spent over 30 years in Sydney. So the vast majority of my life has been lived in cities - and in all those places, I lived centrally and never had to commute far. I have lived in a few smaller places but was never as happy. I love the bustle of big cities. I lived in a small country town for a year and hated it, I felt cut off from life even though I made some good friends.

 

I do belly dance, ballet and Broadway jazz. I have done flamenco in the past. I also dance ballroom and Latin socially with my husband.

I has lessons, both private and group, five years ago at Firefly in Artarmon but I lost interest.

 

I was brought up in a village. Blackfield, and lived in Marchwood later when I went back to UK. I love Sydney but I still live a village lifestyle, walking everywhere. I've not been any further than the Triple Aces bar on Campbell and Elizabeth Sts in the last couple of weeks and my car has stayed in the garage.

 

I suppose in a way I have been in Perth as I'm studying on line at Murdoch!?

[MARYROSE02]

Hey mate,

 

Best village type suburbs are inner west IMO. I'm biased but I love living in Balmain (Rozelle, Lilyfield are neighbouring suburbs). Close to the city (5kms), a real village with good cafes, restaurants and pubs and generally a bit of life. You do generally sacrifice space though but there are plenty of parks close by including Callan park and the Bay run. Totally worth it for the 20min commute to the city (by bus or ferry). You can even walk it in about 45mins.

 

Drummoyne, Russell Lea are close by if you want a bit of a bigger property. Leichhardt is ok but on the flight path. A good suggestion is rent somewhere for 6/12 months and maybe do a few weekend trips to different suburb to check them out, you could even do airbnb for a weekend. i know a couple who are doing this before deciding on where they want to buy for the longterm.

 

Good luck,

Col

Not a bad summing up. I lived in Lilyfield for a few months and walked everywhere getting to know the surrounding burbs, Leichhardt being my favourite.

 

There is no train unless you are on tram line and you cannot walk to city (easily) being my only complaints, oh and Victoria Rd!

[mxh]

Thanks Col! I'm definitely partial to Balmain and surrounds, and it helps to have your description of all the benefits nearby. Hadn't looked at Drummoyne and co, so will have a bit of an exploration online and start to draw a new circle around that side of the map. Thanks very much!

 

I'd also add Abbotsford to the list to look at. It's a bit further out, but it has a ferry terminal and the 438 bus takes about 50 minutes to get to the CBD. It's also very quiet as there's no through traffic, has a few little restaurants (including an excellent Doughboy Pizza place just down the road in Wareemba) and also has the Sydney Rowing Club which has a decent restaurant as well as good casual eating setup, with lovely river views.