Guest Polx Posted February 16, 2009 Share Posted February 16, 2009 Firstly Hello all, I am a new member and would like your take on a question I have re the cheap bits of Geelong. I have come into a wee inheritance and am in a position to either buy a wee weatherboard house outright or make some serious inroads on a brick house somewhere in Geelong. Basically I have no where near enough money to buy in Melbourne and would rather be in a nice wee city like Geelong than out in the the woop woop suburbs of Melbourne. People seem to have a very dim view of Corio and Norlane and these sort of cheap areas but I want to know ....are they really that bad? To give you an idea of where I stand on this sort of thing. I am from Maryhill in Glasgow, have lived very happily in Hackey east london, Byker in Newcastle, Toxteth, Sandilands in Aberdeen and Saint Kilda Melbourne. The last one being Vale Street Saint Kilda, or hip deep in junkies and hookers. NOw I never considered any of these places particularly rough, in fact the only place I have ever been burgaled was Saint Kilda and that was in no way rough in my book. So, are Corio and Norlane and the like really rough areas or are the people who pour scorn on them big jessies? I'm a single bloke no kids so maybe that colours my view of the matter? I look forward to your input, so thanks in advance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest gary12 Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 Hello, The houses are OK, certainly not like any of the areas you mentioned in the UK? But similar to those areas in the UK there are some real lowlife living in Corio - no different from similar areas in UK. I'm sure it is only a small minority but they are there. Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Polx Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 Gary, thanks for that mate. Well considering you can get a three bedroom house and garden for 185k there when that wouldn't buy a caravan in Melbourne....I think I am Corio Norlane bound. Just get a good alarm, window and door locks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest gary12 Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 After you collect your keys get yourself a stab proof vest - and an armoured car. Only joking! :wink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Polx Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 I think growing up in Maryhill of old has recalibrated my understanding of "bad place". Thanks again though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dalhousie Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 Firstly Hello all, I am a new member and would like your take on a question I have re the cheap bits of Geelong. I have come into a wee inheritance and am in a position to either buy a wee weatherboard house outright or make some serious inroads on a brick house somewhere in Geelong. Basically I have no where near enough money to buy in Melbourne and would rather be in a nice wee city like Geelong than out in the the woop woop suburbs of Melbourne. People seem to have a very dim view of Corio and Norlane and these sort of cheap areas but I want to know ....are they really that bad? To give you an idea of where I stand on this sort of thing. I am from Maryhill in Glasgow, have lived very happily in Hackey east london, Byker in Newcastle, Toxteth, Sandilands in Aberdeen and Saint Kilda Melbourne. The last one being Vale Street Saint Kilda, or hip deep in junkies and hookers. NOw I never considered any of these places particularly rough, in fact the only place I have ever been burgaled was Saint Kilda and that was in no way rough in my book. So, are Corio and Norlane and the like really rough areas or are the people who pour scorn on them big jessies? I'm a single bloke no kids so maybe that colours my view of the matter? I look forward to your input, so thanks in advance Norlane was originally the Housing Commission area of Geelong. It is situated near the Ford Motor Company and the Nissan Hut immigration camp that many 10 pound Poms lived in when they first came to Australia. A great number of the immigrants were then allocated houses in the Norlane area (I know this as my family was allocated a house there). So initially it was the "New Australian suburb" a working class area where the majority of the people worked at the Shell Refinery, Ford Motor Company or the other heavy industries that were situated in the North Shore area. But it was a decent area of hardworking people trying to make a new life for themselves and their children. As the new migrants became better off they moved to different parts of Geelong. A new housing area of Corio built, and a lot of British migrants in particular, bought their first home in Corio. And as the migrants moved out of Norlane, the State Government filled the vacant houses with the unemployable, single mothers etc as the area was then still Public Housing. This reduced the status of Corio, and it became a "place not to live". History repeated itself and on the Corio/Norlane boundaries, the working people moved out and the unemployed and disadvantaged moved in. But over the past few years, new areas of Corio have opened up. There are some quite nice housing estates that have large and well kept properties, mainly in the Lovely Banks, Anakie Road, and Northern parts of Corio. It has easy access to the Melbourne/Geelong Freeway, and the train service to Melbourne is excellent. There is an excellent shopping complex called Corio Village Parts of Norlane areas are probably on a par with Maryhill, but there are parts of Corio that have decent “upper working class” (I hate to use this term but it may explain what I mean) people who are buying their own homes and bringing up their kids I have found amongst my own friends who "slate" Corio that they have never actually been there, let alone live there. The area is definitely not the "best" area in Geelong. But the services, medical, recreational, libraries, shopping centres etc are excellent. There are a number of Primary Schools and a Secondary School, but I’m afraid I don’t know much about them. Check out Corio yourself; I’m sure you may find parts that are fine. If you decide on Norlane then I would suggest near the Swimming Pool Complex, the High School or Corio Village would be your best bet. dalhousie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petals Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 Good post you get good and bad in every area and its nothing to do with money. Small houses are cheaper and there is good value around. Here in Somerville there are houses for two twenty to two fifty and they are smaller but with big land and about thirty years old so need refurbishment. Also Frankston has a lot of low cost housing because of the age of the properties and its not all in the "so called bad areas". A lot of people never move and stay in the same house since they were married or even since they emigrated because they like the proximity to everything they are used to. Having an affordable house leads to a happy life, having an unaffordable one to keep up with whoever leads to unhappiness in my view.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Polx Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 dalhousie. Wow, thanks for such a fulsome and comprehensive answer. petaqls. Thanks for your clarity. Very informative and very helpful. AS you sat Petals, an affordable house breeds happiness but being a salve to the mortgage brings unhappiness and probably resentment. Corio/Norlane it is then. As with my attitude to cars. I'd rather own outright some mechanically spot on older car than be in hock to the bank. So I am going to buy somewhere in Corio/Norlane. I have seen several excellent looking places in the American named streets, where all the streets are named after places in north america. If anyone has anything to add, be it negative or cautionary then please feel free to tell me. Pol x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dalhousie Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 dalhousie. Wow, thanks for such a fulsome and comprehensive answer. petaqls. Thanks for your clarity. Very informative and very helpful. AS you sat Petals, an affordable house breeds happiness but being a salve to the mortgage brings unhappiness and probably resentment. Corio/Norlane it is then. As with my attitude to cars. I'd rather own outright some mechanically spot on older car than be in hock to the bank. So I am going to buy somewhere in Corio/Norlane. I have seen several excellent looking places in the American named streets, where all the streets are named after places in north america. If anyone has anything to add, be it negative or cautionary then please feel free to tell me. Pol x A wee bit of advice. Take a bit more care when checking the areas with the Canadian names though there are still some good streets there. The streets with the USA names eg Vermont, Maryland, Colorado are usually OK. I think that area is between Purnell and Plantation Roads. A trick a friend of mine uses when buying property is to drive around the area for a couple of weekends after 10pm. That's when you find out if there are rowdy families throwing big parties or hoons driving loud cars in the area. It's never failed him yet. He say you would be amazed how many seemingly quiet streets become discos after dark. dalhousie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Polx Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 Dalhousie, Oh I know that trick, and you are spot on it is a sure fire method. When I used to rent in St Kilda it was on Vale St, which crosses Greeves St , a hot spot for street prostitution. I remember a new neighbour bemaoning the prozzies presence, I said to him "Mate. I put more forethought into buying shoes than you have into buying a flat" "It's bloody St Kilda, it's bloody Greeves St, how can you NOT know that it's arse deep in hookers?" More money than sense. OK Canadian bad, American better.....that must be the first time THAT sentence has ever been used. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest riddes01 Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 I would have thought coming from Maryhill would have been an excellent thing, so close to paradise (clearly a reference to Firhill). My wife and I travelled out to Victoria last October as part of finding out where we would like to emigrate to and Geelong featured high on the list. We spent some time there and talked to a number of Real Estate folk none of whom thought a great deal of Corio (although they were trying to persuade us to take a look at Torquay!!!!!). When we went to look at Corio we thought it was OK! We spoke to folk in the shopping centre and they were all very pleasant and helpful. I am looking for a job in the chemical industry and Geelong is a place I would like to stay and would have no problems with Corio. Coming from Partick and now living in Middlesbrough I think I can recognise dodgy areas. However, the advice of touring around late at night is probably excellent, unless you get done for kerb crawling! Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petals Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 I am sure you will but if you see a house you like drop by in the evening and have a walk around and see what is going on. Often we look at houses in the day time and people are not around and its quiet but if you drop by at other times its very different. Listen for the barking dog it may drive you mad. Pop into the local store and have a word with people about the street in general etc. Making local inquiries are often very helpful and people know who lives where this goes for everyone buying a home anywhere because noisy unruly people live everywhere. Pick up the local rag and see if there is any info you can find out from it. Also check out the building it may have some structural problems if it is cheaper than others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Polx Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 thanks riddles. I did like the Partick/Boro so know a bad area when you see it line. On the money there. Petals. good idea about the paper and the local shop (for local people) and having a gas with them to see what's what. But if a house has a structural problem that is known to the seller are they not LEGALLY obliged to divulge that information? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest treesea Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 Not sure about Corio, but be careful of asbestos if you buy in Norlane, especially the roofs. In fact, check the section 32, and if it doesn't mention any asbestos, get your solicitor to ask the vendor if there is any asbestos in the property. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dalhousie Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 I wouldn't depend on the local paper too much the "Geelong Advertiser really is a rag. The free papers of the area are probably better, don't know what they are called but you can get them at the shopping centre. Definitely check out the shopping areas to get an idea of what is happening. Personally I have shopped there a few times on my way home from Melbourne and the Coles Store is cheaper than Coles at Waurn Ponds where I usually shop. Coles and Safeway have a reputation of pricing their goods according to the perceived wealth of the area the stores are placed. I think you will be surprised at the amenities that are available in the Corio area. Swimming Pool, Gym. Library. Secondary Schools Good medical coverage. It's not really such a bad place I think sometimes it's just the "snob" value some people have coming into play. And if your a Scot (as I am) you won't give a toss what people think. LOL dalhousie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Polx Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 hee hee dalhousie. NIce line. I'm worse than Scottish mate, I'm Scottish AND Irish. TREESA My only question is what is a QUESTION 32? Hang on... I'll go google it. Nope...drawing a blank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buckbuchanan Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 I've been in Maryhill and Sandilands.... I can assure you there is nowhere in Geelong as bad as that. I guess the only thing worth thinking about is what will the place be worth when you want to sell it (if you think this will ever happen). If you are in a declining area then this could be a problem. If it has already declined as much as possible then the only way is up!! Not that i'm saying this is the case.... I think in lots of areas around Melbourne, 'normal' people are now moving in to the 'not so nice' areas as they are priced out of everywhere else. So probably buying in one of these areas would be a good investment, as long as, in the mean time, you can put up with the odd egg thrown at your window, and the odd petrol bomb thrown at your car!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buckbuchanan Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 Ps... I was only kidding about petrol bombs .... it would most likely be a grenade Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Polx Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 BUCK You have my commiserations upon having been to Sandilands too. Thanks for your info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petals Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 Position position position are the word for property. Port Melbourne years ago noone would think of buying there, rough, cheap etc etc look at it now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest heieup Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 If you're stuck for cash there are nicer and still cheap areas of Geelong like Grovedale which is a nice area as well as being fairly cheap for a decent place. West Geelong is also pretty good and well served for shops etc at Pako street if you didn't want to be so far north. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buckbuchanan Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 Hehe... Fit you a a'boot? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Polx Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 Aye, good point Petals. Port Melbourne was a total no go, now you can't get in. Hell Saint Kilda used to have holes drilled in the cafe teaspoons to stop the junkies nicking them, and look at the place now! I have been reading that Melbourne 3000 plan...I think that is the name.. but anyway it is the epansion plan for Melbourne into the west, so I think it could be a good move to get into North Geelong now. Hell it's all guess work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest treesea Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 hee hee dalhousie. NIce line. I'm worse than Scottish mate, I'm Scottish AND Irish. TREESA My only question is what is a QUESTION 32? Hang on... I'll go google it. Nope...drawing a blank. A "section 32" vendor's statement is what the person selling the house has to provide to prospective buyers. This even applies for new housing. It has the certificate of title and covers things like whether there is a body corporate, what the rates are, details of any restrictions, easements and covenants, etc. There is an example of a section 32 document here: http://www.raydon.com.au/assets/images/vendors-statement.pdf and some discussion about it here: Section 32 Vendor's statement - what is it? (part 1) | Home I Own, Aussie Real Estate Blog You might still want to get a property sruvey done, but we got our solicitor to ask the vendor, via their solicitor, things like: 1) Is the roof of sound construction and not leaking? 2) Is there any asbestos used in the construction of the property? 3) Are there any underground structures they are aware of (we were buying in a bush area in outer Melbourne) and if so where are they? (I wanted to know the location of the old, no longer in use, septic tank, because from experience I know they are an absolute pain to dig up. If the vendor says no to these things when you could reasonably have expected them to know about them AND you discover things like a leaking roof the first time it rains, then you can recover the cost of repairing the roof from the previous vendor. Also, take a good look at the title. It lists all the previous owners and shows how long they held onto the property for. If you are looking at seven owners, say, in four years, then maybe there is something about the area/neighbours etc, that is less than ideal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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