Suburb recommendations

[Daffyduck]

Hello again all,

Slight update on where we are. My wife has had a few formal job offers which would include sponsorship for the visa. However, they are all pretty much around the CBD. One in Seaton, one in Prospect and another in Trinity Gardens. Previously we had wanted to move to the Hallett cove area and all our research has been focussed there, however, the commute from there to any of the options looks pretty bad, Google maps says 40-90 minutes each way.

Can anyone recommend any suburbs closer to the areas where the job offers are? We've two young children so looking for somewhere family friendly with a budget of about $950,000. 

[llessur]

Have a look at Croydon/West Croydon - https://www.pomsinadelaide.com/topic/44226-croydon-and-west-croydon/. A stone's throw from either Prospect or Seaton - maybe a 10 minute drive. I live there so I'm biased btw.

It's in high demand at the moment so prices can head towards the top or just over of your budget depending on the house but there are still some bargains to be had if you look for them.

https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-with-3-bedrooms-in-west+croydon,+sa+5008%3b+croydon,+sa+5008/list-1?source=refinement

For me it ticks a load of boxes - great public transport (two stops from the CBD via train), good cycling infrastructure (it's a 20 minutes cycle into the city without having to use a single road once you reach the shared path at Croydon) and heritage houses on large blocks. There are great cafes and parks as well as easy access to supermarkets and other services. It feels a little more like Europe than some of the outer suburbs do and doesn't make you dependent on your car for absolutely everything.

Neighbouring suburbs along the rail line are also worth a look - Woodville, Kilkenny, Cheltenham etc and also Beverley and Allenby Gardens etc which are just to the south. All have lovely heritage houses on good sized blocks. Mile End and Prospect can be nice and are also just as close to the CBD.

The inner west is still (fairly rapidly) gentrifying so there are some less attractive spots but in general the market seems to be catching up with the fact that there are heritage suburbs right next to the CBD which have been undervalued for years. The defence work at Port Adelaide and the expanding biomedical precinct at the north west of the CBD (and likely soon to extend along Port Road at Thebarton) are likely to accelerate this.

The posher Eastern Suburbs like Unley, Parkside, Norwood etc are probably out of your budget for a family home. Campbelltown, Magill etc might be worth a look and wouldn't be a bad commute to Prospect or Trinity Gardens. Seaton would be a bit further to travel but not too bad. I know less about the east though...

Edited December 17, 2021 by llessur

[NicF]

The east of Adelaide is lovely and there was a time that $950,000 would get you a pretty decent house in all but the most expensive suburbs.  Not so much these days though.  Public schools in the east are highly sort after and some of the primary schools were not able to take people who moved in to the zone after the school year started.  I'm not sure if this will still be the case next year though as year 7 is moving to high school which may create space in the primary schools for more admissions in other years.  There are plenty of nice, safe suburbs especially if you are wanting to stay reasonably close to the CBD, so I would advise ruling suburbs in or out based on things like housing cost, distance to commute, schools etc then take a good look round once you are here and see which suburbs feel best.  One persons perfect suburb is another's idea of hell on earth and all that.

[Marisawright]

10 hours ago, Daffyduck said:

Hello again all,

Slight update on where we are. My wife has had a few formal job offers which would include sponsorship for the visa..... looking for somewhere family friendly with a budget of about $950,000. 

If you're coming on a 482 sponsored visa, then you'll be looking for a place to rent, not a place to buy.  On a 482 you'll be treated as a foreign investor, you'll have to apply for permission to buy, and pay a surcharge. 

As I'm sure you know, the transition from the 482 to a permanent visa is far from guaranteed, so much so that you're advised to plan as if it's a short-term contract.  Obviously, if you bought a $950,000 property then had to sell it after 3 or 4 years, there's no way you would recoup the $120,000 you paid in fees and charges ($66,500 foreign investor surcharge, $46,000 stamp duty, $8,000 transfer fee). 

Edited December 17, 2021 by Marisawright

[Daffyduck]

54 minutes ago, llessur said:

Have a look at Croydon/West Croydon - https://www.pomsinadelaide.com/topic/44226-croydon-and-west-croydon/. A stone's throw from either Prospect or Seaton - maybe a 10 minute drive. I live there so I'm biased btw.

It's in high demand at the moment so prices can head towards the top or just over of your budget depending on the house but there are still some bargains to be had if you look for them.

https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-with-3-bedrooms-in-west+croydon,+sa+5008%3b+croydon,+sa+5008/list-1?source=refinement

For me it ticks a load of boxes - great public transport (two stops from the CBD via train), good cycling infrastructure (it's a 20 minutes cycle into the city without having to use a single road once you reach the shared path at Croydon) and heritage houses on large blocks. There are great cafes and parks as well as easy access to supermarkets and other services. It feels a little more like Europe than some of the outer suburbs do and doesn't make you dependent on your car for absolutely everything.

Neighbouring suburbs along the rail line are also worth a look - Woodville, Kilkenny, Cheltenham etc and also Beverley and Allenby Gardens etc which are just to the south. All have lovely heritage houses on good sized blocks. Mile End and Prospect can be nice and are also just as close to the CBD.

The inner west is still (fairly rapidly) gentrifying so there are some less attractive spots but in general the market seems to be catching up with the fact that there are heritage suburbs right next to the CBD which have been undervalued for years. The defence work at Port Adelaide and the expanding biomedical precinct at the north west of the CBD (and likely soon to extend along Port Road at Thebarton) are likely to accelerate this.

The posher Eastern Suburbs like Unley, Parkside, Norwood etc are probably out of your budget for a family home. Campbelltown, Magill etc might be worth a look and wouldn't be a bad commute to Prospect or Trinity Gardens. Seaton would be a bit further to travel but not too bad. I know less about the east though...

That's really helpful, thanks!

[Lavers]

18 hours ago, Daffyduck said:

Hello again all,

Slight update on where we are. My wife has had a few formal job offers which would include sponsorship for the visa. However, they are all pretty much around the CBD. One in Seaton, one in Prospect and another in Trinity Gardens. Previously we had wanted to move to the Hallett cove area and all our research has been focussed there, however, the commute from there to any of the options looks pretty bad, Google maps says 40-90 minutes each way.

Can anyone recommend any suburbs closer to the areas where the job offers are? We've two young children so looking for somewhere family friendly with a budget of about $950,000. 

Are you looking at public or private schools for the kids?

[llessur]

That's a point - Prospect and much of Mile End are in the sought-after Adelaide High/Botanic High zones...

https://www.education.sa.gov.au/parents-and-families/enrol-school-or-preschool/find-school-zone-or-preschool-catchment-area?school_code=1919&year=2020

Like the UK, public (state) schools can vary but even the less sought-after ones are nothing like some of the inner city schools in the UK. All will provide a good education in a safe environment.

If you want a private education then be aware that there's likely to be a religious (either Catholic or Anglican) slant to it - there are some fairly affordable Catholic private schools but after reading their various mission statements and hearing from other parents who have gone down that route for their kids I decided that some of the 'educational' content doesn't sit well with my non-religious background (the teaching of sex education as part of religious studies as opposed to human biology for example).

It's worth doing some reading up on the school system over here and also visiting a few when you come over.

[Daffyduck]

10 hours ago, Lavers said:

Are you looking at public or private schools for the kids?

Unsure at the moment, it wasn't something we had considered as it's far more expensive here. Though, neither of us are sure about sending the kids to a religious school either.

[Lavers]

1 hour ago, Daffyduck said:

Unsure at the moment, it wasn't something we had considered as it's far more expensive here. Though, neither of us are sure about sending the kids to a religious school either.

As llessur has said if you go public then you need to look at school catchment zones which are on the South Aus school website. If you go private then you don't need to worry about catchment zones.

Alot of the private schools here are nothing like what private schools are like in the UK.

Private primary schools will set you back about $3000 a school year, then the private high schools will start around $7000 a school year.

We have put both of ours into public schools and they are pretty much what you would expect from a public school in the UK.

We are currently renting in North Plympton, 10min to the city and 10min to the beaches. Plenty of parks and cycle paths for the kids.

 

[Daffyduck]

26 minutes ago, Lavers said:

As llessur has said if you go public then you need to look at school catchment zones which are on the South Aus school website. If you go private then you don't need to worry about catchment zones.

Alot of the private schools here are nothing like what private schools are like in the UK.

Private primary schools will set you back about $3000 a school year, then the private high schools will start around $7000 a school year.

We have put both of ours into public schools and they are pretty much what you would expect from a public school in the UK.

We are currently renting in North Plympton, 10min to the city and 10min to the beaches. Plenty of parks and cycle paths for the kids.

 

Wow! I knew it wasn't as expensive but not by that much. Cheapest private school here is around $30,000 a year.

 

Had been looking at houses in NP but was put off by proximity to the airport, do you find there's much noise?

[rammygirl]

What visa will you be coming on?

[Daffyduck]

8 minutes ago, rammygirl said:

What visa will you be coming on?

186, had originally thought about a 190 but some of the job offers include visa sponsorship along with relocation bonus. Though, I know thats a temp 2 year visa which ties you to the employer.

[Marisawright]

16 minutes ago, Daffyduck said:

186, had originally thought about a 190 but some of the job offers include visa sponsorship along with relocation bonus. Though, I know thats a temp 2 year visa which ties you to the employer.

The 186 is a permanent visa.   You must fulfil your obligation to the employer, otherwise you risk having the visa cancelled - but provided you do fulfil that obligation, there is nothing else you need do to become permanent, you already are.   You'll have all the privileges of a permanent resident, so no restrictions on buying property, full Medicare, no school fees in state schools etc., right from the day you arrive. 

Whereas with the 482  visa, you are just temporary and have to start the whole visa application process again to become permanent. Similarly on a 491 but with more certainty that you'll make the transition.

Edited December 17, 2021 by Marisawright

[Lavers]

1 hour ago, Daffyduck said:

Wow! I knew it wasn't as expensive but not by that much. Cheapest private school here is around $30,000 a year.

 

Had been looking at houses in NP but was put off by proximity to the airport, do you find there's much noise?

You do hear the planes but we have never really found it to be an issue, we are probably just far away from it.

Most of the suburbs just feel the same to me to be honest around here, although as you go north of the city they don't seem to feel as nice to me. So it would just be down to public or private schools to me.

I work just south of Hallett Cove and the commute really doesn't feel to bad as traffic is nothing like the UK.

I even cycle 3 days a week.

[Daffyduck]

12 minutes ago, Lavers said:

You do hear the planes but we have never really found it to be an issue, we are probably just far away from it.

Most of the suburbs just feel the same to me to be honest around here, although as you go north of the city they don't seem to feel as nice to me. So it would just be down to public or private schools to me.

I work just south of Hallett Cove and the commute really doesn't feel to bad as traffic is nothing like the UK.

I even cycle 3 days a week.

Not far off distance wise to the kind of commutes I've been looking at. How long does it normally take?

[Lavers]

17 minutes ago, Daffyduck said:

Not far off distance wise to the kind of commutes I've been looking at. How long does it normally take?

20 - 25 mins in the morning then 30mins coming home.

I leave at 7 and come home at 4 so depending on what time it may take a little longer but not much.

Seaton may not be too bad from Hallett but Prospect will have the traffic with going closer to the city.

Edited December 17, 2021 by Lavers

[llessur]

Probably worth bearing in mind that Lavers' commute is against the bulk of the traffic flow - most people will be moving from the southern suburbs towards the city whereas Lavers does the opposite. Commuting north from Hallett Cove might take longer.

 

[JetBlast]

On 17/12/2021 at 11:26, Marisawright said:

then had to sell it after 3 or 4 years, there's no way you would recoup the $120,000 you paid in fees and charges ($66,500 foreign investor surcharge, $46,000 stamp duty, $8,000 transfer fee). 

You don't know the Adelaide property market. That would be recouped. It has been done so in the past 18 months alone. I actually followed similar advice from yourself and lost money.

 

@Daffyduck As a rule avoid place north of North Adelaide. I wouldn't live in Prospect.

Lots of Poms choose Hallett Cove. But I guess it depends if you want to integrate with the locals or not.

[Marisawright]

4 minutes ago, JetBlast said:

You don't know the Adelaide property market. That would be recouped. It has been done so in the past 18 months alone. I actually followed similar advice from yourself and lost money.

I know it very well.  However as you know, the property market in the whole of Australia went completely bonkers for a while there - at exactly the wrong moment for you, unfortunately.  

[llessur]

36 minutes ago, JetBlast said:

@Daffyduck As a rule avoid place north of North Adelaide. I wouldn't live in Prospect.

Whilst there are some dodgy suburbs to the north of Adelaide writing off anything north of the city is a bit drastic. Prospect has some great heritage houses and is rapidly becoming gentrified - it's a heritage suburb within spitting distance of the CBD so it's only going in one direction. Neighbouring Medindie is pretty much up there with North Adelaide for posh houses and tweed-wearing gentry levels.

I probably wouldn't look north of Regency Road at this stage but city fringe suburbs are definitely worth a look and would likely be a sound investment.

Edited December 18, 2021 by llessur

[JetBlast]

3 hours ago, llessur said:

Whilst there are some dodgy suburbs to the north of Adelaide writing off anything north of the city is a bit drastic. Prospect has some great heritage houses and is rapidly becoming gentrified - it's a heritage suburb within spitting distance of the CBD so it's only going in one direction. Neighbouring Medindie is pretty much up there with North Adelaide for posh houses and tweed-wearing gentry levels.

I probably wouldn't look north of Regency Road at this stage but city fringe suburbs are definitely worth a look and would likely be a sound investment.

I said “as a rule”. I didn’t say everything and anything. But I wouldn’t consider Prospect as a nice area like Medindie. But it certainly isn’t Elizabeth.